Urban Green Walls under Traffic Stress: Linking the Elemental Composition of Particulate Matter Deposition to Plant Physiological and Gene Expression Responses.
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, Rome00185, Italy.
- 2Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems, National Research Council of Italy (CNR IRET), Rome00010, Italy.
- 3National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo90133, Italy.
- 4Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, Rome00185, Italy.
- 5Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research National Research Council of Italy (CNR IIA), Via Salaria km 29.300, Monterotondo Street, Rome00015, Italy.
Abstract
This one-year study integrates multi-elemental fractionation, physiological, and gene expression analyses to investigate PM retention and plant responses in a nine-species green wall at a high-traffic urban site. A chemical fractionation approach was optimized to discriminate between endogenous and exogenous elements, overcoming a major limitation of conventional methodologies. PCA of the insoluble fraction of Al, Cr, Cs, Fe, Mn, Mo, Rb, Sb, Sn, Ti, and Zn identified Photinia × fraseri as the species with the highest and most stable long-term retention of non-exhaust traffic-derived particles, whereas Pteris vittata showed the lowest and most unstable retention capacity. Insoluble elements reliably traced PM deposition, while soluble and leaf fractions were strongly influenced by endogenous pools of both essential nutrients and tracers such as Cs and Rb, potentially leading to overestimation of PM deposition by conventional approaches. SEM-EDS confirmed up to 100-fold higher particle retention in P. × fraseri than P. vittata. Physiological and gene expression analyses revealed pronounced seasonal modulation in P. × fraseri, suggesting greater physiological and molecular plasticity in response to environmental fluctuations, whereas P. vittata maintained comparatively stable photosynthetic and transcriptional profiles. The results provide a robust framework for plant-based biomonitoring and urban green infrastructure design.
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BibTeX
@article{massimi2026urban,
title = {{Urban Green Walls under Traffic Stress: Linking the Elemental Composition of Particulate Matter Deposition to Plant Physiological and Gene Expression Responses.}},
author = {Lorenzo Massimi and Maria Luisa Antenozio and Davide Marzi and Alice Zara and Caterina Tiraboschi and Federica Porcu and Laura Varone and Silvia Canepari and Tommaso Rossi and Adriana Pietrodangelo and Cinzia Perrino and Patrizia Brunetti},
journal = {Environmental science \& technology},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1021/acs.est.6c10086},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42916451},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Urban Green Walls under Traffic Stress: Linking the Elemental Composition of Particulate Matter Deposition to Plant Physiological and Gene Expression Responses.
AU - Lorenzo Massimi
AU - Maria Luisa Antenozio
AU - Davide Marzi
AU - Alice Zara
AU - Caterina Tiraboschi
AU - Federica Porcu
AU - Laura Varone
AU - Silvia Canepari
AU - Tommaso Rossi
AU - Adriana Pietrodangelo
AU - Cinzia Perrino
AU - Patrizia Brunetti
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Environmental science & technology
DO - 10.1021/acs.est.6c10086
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42916451
AB - This one-year study integrates multi-elemental fractionation, physiological, and gene expression analyses to investigate PM retention and plant responses in a nine-species green wall at a high-traffic urban site. A chemical fractionation approach was optimized to discriminate between endogenous and exogenous elements, overcoming a major limitation of conventional methodologies. PCA of the insoluble fraction of Al, Cr, Cs, Fe, Mn, Mo, Rb, Sb, Sn, Ti, and Zn identified Photinia × fraseri as the species with the highest and most stable long-term retention of non-exhaust traffic-derived particles, whereas Pteris vittata showed the lowest and most unstable retention capacity. Insoluble elements reliably traced PM deposition, while soluble and leaf fractions were strongly influenced by endogenous pools of both essential nutrients and tracers such as Cs and Rb, potentially leading to overestimation of PM deposition by conventional approaches. SEM-EDS confirmed up to 100-fold higher particle retention in P. × fraseri than P. vittata. Physiological and gene expression analyses revealed pronounced seasonal modulation in P. × fraseri, suggesting greater physiological and molecular plasticity in response to environmental fluctuations, whereas P. vittata maintained comparatively stable photosynthetic and transcriptional profiles. The results provide a robust framework for plant-based biomonitoring and urban green infrastructure design.
SN - 0013-936X
SN - 1520-5851
ER -