INDICATORS OF AIR POLLUTION (1).pptx

Air pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere.

1. LICHENS - INDICATORS OF AIR POLLUTION PRESENTED BY, D. Vigneshwari II – M.Sc Microbiology

2. AIR POLLUTION Air pollution is  contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere . Household combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires are common sources of air pollution.

3. AIR POLLUTION INDICATOR Air pollution contributes to a wide variety of adverse health effects. The six most common air pollutants are called “criteria” air pollutants and include  carbon monoxide, lead, ground-level ozone, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide .

4. BIOLOGICAL INDICATOR OF AIR POLLUTION Lichens are microorganism that can be used as natural indicators of air pollution, as they inform us about the concentration of sulphur dioxide in the air. Tissue samples from common lichen species can also be used to evaluate levels of pollution that they absorb .

5. General features of lichens The lichen fungus is classified as a fungus, and the fungal partners are classified as Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Lichens can also be classified according to their morphology. There are three major types of lichens, though there are others. Crustose lichens are lichens that are tightly attached to the substrate, giving them a crusty appearance. Foliose lichens have leaf-like lobes, can only be attached at one point in the growth form, and have a second cortex below the medulla. Finally, fruticose lichens are known to have rounded structures and a branched appearance in general.

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