MEASURING OF PHYTOTOXIC AIR POLLUTION BASED UPON RESPONSE OF BRYOPHYTES USING A FILTERED-AIR GROWTH CHAMBER

Abstract

Small-sized experimental instruments bearing filtered and unfiltered-air growth chambers(named Bryometer), in which gemmae of Marchantia polymorpha were cultivated replicating four times, were located at nine sites around Kashima industrial district. At the same site, rain was collected for six times, then measured on pH and electric conductivity. The degree of phytotoxicity of air was expressed by growth ratio(unfiltered/filtered chamber)in percentage. On four pollutants(SO_2,oxidant, NO, NO_2), mean values of daily maximum concentration and their total values were calculated about experimental periods. The degree of phytotoxicity of air was severe on the leeward of pollution sources(the smallest growth ratio : 78%), where total value was large simultaneously. It was not contradictory to the result measured on precipitation. By employing Bryometer in this way, it is easy to estimate the degree of phytotoxicity of air in practice.