TITLE:
Environmental Pollution Bioindication Based on Ficus benjamina L. Leaf Reflectance in the City of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
AUTHORS:
Zamblé Fidèle Tra Bi, Yao Sadaiou Sabas Barima, Djédoux Maxime Angaman, Ali Reza Khavanin Zadeh, Karidia Traoré
KEYWORDS:
Bioindication, Air Pollution, Reflectance, Visible Spectrum, Côte d’Ivoire
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Air Pollution,
Vol.5 No.2,
June
17,
2016
ABSTRACT: The air
in African cities is increasingly polluted mainly due to human activities. A
bioindication technical of urban air quality based on active remote sensing
might be an alternative to existing physico-chemical methods. Reflectance
measurements in the visible spectrum have been carried out at the adaxial and
abaxial sides of Ficus benjamina L.
leaves in the city of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with a precision digital camera.
Leaves were collected in industrial zones and in parks. The impact of air
pollution on leaf physiological as well as structural characteristics in these
two contrasts urban environments was determined by Dorsiventral Leaf
Reflectance Correlation (DRLC) and dorsiventral leaf reflectance asymmetry
quantitatively defined with Normalized Dorsiventral Asymmetry Index (NDAI).
Species leaf susceptibility to air pollution from season to season was
determined by NDAI seasonal variation. Leaf reflectance measurements allowed
the estimation of environmental stress level among industrial areas and parks.
NDAI and DLRC were significantly higher in industrial zones compared to parks.
NDAI values were found significantly higher for major rainy season compared to
major dry season, indicating probably that F.
benjamina leaf structure changes were increased from one season to another.
Thereby, assessment of urban air quality can be done using leaves reflectance
in the visible spectrum.