DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2016.v04i02.009

Pages: 128-131

Traffic-based heavy metal pollution is one of the basic sources of foliar uptake of trace elements in high rates that cause damages in plants. This study aimed to determine the traffic-based accumulation of heavy metals in Prunus persica (L.) Batsch leaves by considering the impact of washing procedure. The freshly fallen senescent leaf samples under the trees were collected from five tree individuals in 0-100-200-300-400 m distance from the Amasya-Suluova highway, which links Middle East to the northern countries in Turkey, in November. Washing procedure was applied to half of the leaf samples in order to determine the amount of deposits on the leaf surface. The heavy metal analyses were carried out by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Results indicated that element concentrations in washed leaves tended to decrease. Except Mn and Ni, there isn’t significant variation in other heavy metal concentrations among different distances for unwashed leaves. However, significant variations were determined for the washed leaves in all of the other measured elements among different distances except Pb and Ni. Significant correlations were determined between some of the elements in the unwashed leaves. However, there isn’t any significant correlation between elements in the washed leaves. As a result, not only the pollution level but also the plant features and climatic and spatial features of the field have impacts on the deposited material on plant surface. Differences in element concentrations between washed and unwashed leaves reflect both amount of deposited elements on leaf surface and leached elements from the leaves.