Identification of Most Tolerant Lichen Species to Vehicular Traffic’s Pollutants: A Case Study at Batu Pahat

Norhayati  Muhammad; Nor  Haslina  Hashim; Nur  Ain  Khairuddin; Hasliza  Yusof; Samsiah Jusoh; Azlan Abas; Balkis A Talip; Norazlin Abdullah; Laily Din

Authors

Norhayati Muhammad Department of Technology and Heritage, Faculty of Science,Technology and Human Development Universiti Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia
Nor Haslina Hashim Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Faculty of Engineering Technology,Universiti Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia
Nur Ain Khairuddin Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Faculty of Engineering Technology,Universiti Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia
Hasliza Yusof Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Faculty of Engineering Technology,Universiti Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia
Samsiah Jusoh Rice and Industrial Crop Research Centre, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), P.O. Box 12301, 50774 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Azlan Abas Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
Balkis A Talip Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Faculty of Engineering Technology,Universiti Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia
Norazlin Abdullah Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Faculty of Engineering Technology,Universiti Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia
Laily Din School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

Keywords:

Air quality , bio-indicator, Dirinaria picta , lichen

Abstract

Bio-indicators are organisms that can be used for the identification and qualitative determination of human generated environmental factors. The decreasing population of sensitive lichens in specific regions around the world due to low air quality level has make lichens as a bio-indicator for air pollution. Lichen is a result of symbiotic association of fungus and alga and well known for having wide variety of sensitivity towards environmental stressors such as air quality and climate change. This study aims to identify the most tolerant lichen species to vehicular traffic’s pollutant at Batu Pahat urban and suburban areas by using Index of Atmospheric Purity (IAP) method. The color spot test, thin layer chromatography (TLC) profiling and morphological analysis were employed for species identification. The results have shown that Dirinaria picta has been identified as the most tolerant lichen against pollutants from vehicle traffic. The results also indicated that the air quality of Batu Pahat town/urban area could be considered as moderately clean.