Efecto fitotóxico del material particulado PM2,5 y PM10 en la ciudad de Juliaca, Perú

Atmospheric particles (PM) are a part of air pollution. Depending on the aerodynamic diameter, the particles can be classified into PM10 and fine aerosols (PM2.5). The toxicity of these particles is determined by numerous factors including chemical composition and size. Plants are directly exposed to airborne pollutants. The harmful effects of airborne particles on higher plants include morphological, physicochemical and biochemical alterations. In this sense, this study tries to determine the phytotoxic effects of atmospheric particulates, a product of atmospheric pollution, in the city of Juliaca in Peru, which has a high environmental pollution load. With these statistics, the effect of PM2.5 and PM10 particulates on three species was studied: Calendula officinalis, Schinus terebinthifolia and Physalis peruviana. The results indicate concentrations of 9.5 and 33.20 μg /m3 respectively of PM2.5 and PM10 particulates for different selected control points. On the other hand, the chemical analysis determined the concentration of the different heavy metals for PM2.5 and PM10 particles, finding the following order of concentration Pb>Mn>Cr>>Cd. Then, using these two sources of particle size, solutions at different concentrations and dilutions were prepared to determine their phytotoxic effect on the percentage of germination and root size in the three species. The results found revealed that, despite the presence of various heavy metals in concentrations, in general, a marked influence on the germination process or root formation was not observed with respect to the control group.