Infraestrutura verde para monitorar e minimizar os impactos da poluição atmosférica

Particulate Matter (PM) ranks among the main air contaminants. A Green Infrastructure (GI) has been recognized as an alternative to improve air quality. Trees can directly affect PM levels by trapping it on their surface. This study aimes to provide extra information on the feasibility of using green vegetation to trap pollution and also to identify the main sources of air pollutants in urban areas. Tree bark samples from urban parks in Sao Paulo, Brazil, were used as biological monitors of air pollutants. The trapping of pollutants and an exponential decay of their concentrations were observed towards the more inner sites of the parks. Furthermore, it was possible to discriminate light-duty from heavy-duty vehicle emissions. The low cost of monitoring and its effectiveness emphasize that a GI has a pivotal position in enhancing health and quality of life and in dealing with the effects of air pollution in medium-size and large cities.