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Leaves as bioarchives highlight traffic-derived pollution in an urban environment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2026

Shuchen He ,
Zhihua Su Open the ORCID record for Zhihua Su [Opens in a new window] ,
Yunlong Liu ,
Haiquan Yang  and
Yumei Bai
Shuchen He
Affiliation:
School of Management Science and Engineering, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guiyang, China
Zhihua Su*
Affiliation:
School of Management Science and Engineering, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guiyang, China
Yunlong Liu
Affiliation:
School of Management Science and Engineering, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guiyang, China
Haiquan Yang
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, China
Yumei Bai
Affiliation:
School of Management Science and Engineering, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guiyang, China
*
Corresponding author: Zhihua Su; Email: 201201063@mail.gufe.edu.cn
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Summary

Accurate identification of potentially toxic element (PTE) sources is crucial for effective risk mitigation; however, the complex solubility of trace elements hinders such identification. Here, levels of PTEs in the dust of 105 leaf samples from 21 sites in urban Guiyang (China) were measured and positive matrix factorization was applied to help identify PTE sources. These results were validated through correlating PTE concentrations with the land-use areas surrounding the sample sites. Ni and As in the leaf dust were linked to the cleanest conditions, followed by Cr. Conversely, Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb were associated with higher pollution levels. Three primary sources of PTEs were identified, with traffic-agriculture emissions being the largest contributor at 40.42%. Natural sources followed closely at 39.41%, while industrial processes accounted for the remaining 20.17%. High-pollution areas were clustered around traffic hubs, where frequent vehicle idling and acceleration increased emissions. As traffic emission was a major source of atmospheric pollution, targeted flow optimization is needed to reduce risks of human exposure.

Keywords

Biomonitoringland-use areasPMF modelpotentially toxic elementstraffic optimization

Information

Type
Report
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 53 , Issue 2 , June 2026 , pp. 103 - 108
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Foundation for Environmental Conservation

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