Measuring Air Pollution
Air pollution is an environmental pollution which affects
the air and is caused by smoke or other harmful gases,
mainly oxides of carbon, sulphur and nitrogen. There are
many ways in which are air pollution can be measured, one
of which is through the use of lichen populations.
Lichens
Presence of living organisms such as lichens can indicate
the level of air pollution within a certain area.
A lichen is two organisms functioning as a single stable unit, there are about 17,000 species of lichen
worldwide (Vidyasagar, 2016).
The various types of lichens have varied tolerance levels to pollution, they absorb water and minerals
through the atmosphere from rainwater, which makes them very sensitive to atmospheric pollution.
They are especially sensitive to sulphur dioxide pollution in the air (Air Pollution, 2016).
Lichens can be prevented from growing as air pollutants are dissolved in the rainwater which then
reach the lichens. The more lichens the less the pollution, the less lichens the more the pollution.
If air is severely polluted with sulphur dioxide there may be no lichens present, however, if the air is
clean, crusty, bushy and leafy lichens become abundant.
A few lichen species can tolerate quite high levels of pollution and are commonly found on
pavements, walls and tree bark.
The most sensitive lichens are shrubby and leafy while the most tolerant lichens are all crusty in
appearance (Woods & Coppins, 2012). This can therefore indicate the level of pollution within a
given area. If shrubby and leafy lichens are found this indicates that the air is not contaminated with
much pollution. If the crusty lichens are found this indicates that the air is potentially polluted within
that area, but the crusty lichen is able to handle it.
Measuring Land Pollution
Land pollution is the destruction of the earth's land surfaces, which is most often directly or indirectly
a result of activities and their misuse of land resources by humans
(eschooltoday).
Lead is preset in soil naturally, occurring in the ranges of 15 to 40 parts
lead per million parts of soil (UMA, 2016).
However, when soil is polluted it is found in thousand per parts per
million meaning that the soil is polluted. Soil lead contamination
occurs mostly in populated areas where weathering, chipping,
scraping, sanding etc of structures bearing lead-based paint (PSE,
2016).
1. The main causes for lead contamination are Lead paint
2. Lead dust
3. Lead from automobile emission
Page 1 of 3
Air pollution is an environmental pollution which affects
the air and is caused by smoke or other harmful gases,
mainly oxides of carbon, sulphur and nitrogen. There are
many ways in which are air pollution can be measured, one
of which is through the use of lichen populations.
Lichens
Presence of living organisms such as lichens can indicate
the level of air pollution within a certain area.
A lichen is two organisms functioning as a single stable unit, there are about 17,000 species of lichen
worldwide (Vidyasagar, 2016).
The various types of lichens have varied tolerance levels to pollution, they absorb water and minerals
through the atmosphere from rainwater, which makes them very sensitive to atmospheric pollution.
They are especially sensitive to sulphur dioxide pollution in the air (Air Pollution, 2016).
Lichens can be prevented from growing as air pollutants are dissolved in the rainwater which then
reach the lichens. The more lichens the less the pollution, the less lichens the more the pollution.
If air is severely polluted with sulphur dioxide there may be no lichens present, however, if the air is
clean, crusty, bushy and leafy lichens become abundant.
A few lichen species can tolerate quite high levels of pollution and are commonly found on
pavements, walls and tree bark.
The most sensitive lichens are shrubby and leafy while the most tolerant lichens are all crusty in
appearance (Woods & Coppins, 2012). This can therefore indicate the level of pollution within a
given area. If shrubby and leafy lichens are found this indicates that the air is not contaminated with
much pollution. If the crusty lichens are found this indicates that the air is potentially polluted within
that area, but the crusty lichen is able to handle it.
Measuring Land Pollution
Land pollution is the destruction of the earth's land surfaces, which is most often directly or indirectly
a result of activities and their misuse of land resources by humans
(eschooltoday).
Lead is preset in soil naturally, occurring in the ranges of 15 to 40 parts
lead per million parts of soil (UMA, 2016).
However, when soil is polluted it is found in thousand per parts per
million meaning that the soil is polluted. Soil lead contamination
occurs mostly in populated areas where weathering, chipping,
scraping, sanding etc of structures bearing lead-based paint (PSE,
2016).
1. The main causes for lead contamination are Lead paint
2. Lead dust
3. Lead from automobile emission
Page 1 of 3
