Impact of Air Pollution on Proline and Soluble Sugar Content of Selected Plant Species

Abstract

This study examined the effect of ambient air population of two biochemical factors of plants; Proline and soluble sugar. Two sets of similar ecological statues of but different exposure to vehicular activities were used. The initiative, known as Experiment Site (ES) and the other, Control Site (CS). Twenty plant species were chosen from these sites. Proline and soluble sugar were determined according to standard methods. The result of this study showed an increase proline content on the experimental site suggestive of its protective mechanism under stress condition. There was a significant difference between the concentration of proline at the experimental and control sites. The percentage change (increase) from control site to experimental sites ranged between 24.90 % in Citrus sinesis to 57.22 % in Carica papaya. Soluble sugar on the other had reduced at experimental site when compared with those of a control site. There was however no significant difference in the concentration of soluble sugar from experimental and control sites. The percentage change (reduction) ranged between 24.49 % in Tipu tipuana and 47.87 % in Psidium guajava and Anacadium occidentale. This reduction in the concentration of soluble sugar in experimental site, suggest photosynthetic inhibition.

Keywords: Soluble Sugar, Proline, Air Pollution, Biochemical, Nigeria