Impact of Cement Dust Deposition on Vegetation around Birla Cement factory, Satna, Madhaya Pradesh

Abstract

Air pollution is an additional stress on plants since they often respond to atmospheric contamination in the same way as they respond to drought and other environment stress. Effect of cement dust pollution on the plant species including Glycine max and Cicer arietinum was studied for one year time period (April- October 2022) around Birla Cement factory in Satna Madhaya Pradhesh. The parameter Cholophyll a was analyzed showed a remarkable increase as the distance from the pollution source increased. The pH of leaf wash of plants in the vicinity of factory was strongly alkaline as compared to the plants growing at the reference site. The dust deposition (mg/cm2) on the leaves of all plant species was highest near the factory where as the dust load on leaves of plant species growing at the reference site was almost negligible.