Via: Eureka Alert.
Contact: Christa Stratton – cstratton@geosociety.org, 303-357-1093, Geological Society of America
Public release date: 15-Oct-2009
“T ree leaves may be powerful tools for monitoring air quality and planning biking routes and walking paths, suggests a new study by scientists at Western Washington University in Bellingham. The research will be presented at this month’s Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America in Portland, Oregon.
Leaves along bus routes were up to 10 times more magnetic than leaves on quieter streets, the study found. That magnetism comes from tiny particles of pollution—such as 
iron oxides from diesel exhaust—that float through the air and either stick to leaves or grow right into them.
Geophysicist Bernie Housen and colleague Luigi Jovane collected several leaves from 15 trees in and around Bellingham. Five of the trees lay next to busy bus routes. Five sat on parallel but much quieter side streets. Five were in a rural area nearby.
Using two measurement techniques, Housen and Jovane found that leaves along bus routes were between two and 8 times more magnetic than leaves from nearby streets and between four and 10 times more magnetic than rural leaves.
Inhaling particulate matter has been linked to a number of negative health consequences, including breathing troubles and even heart problems. Tiny particles bypass the airways and get deep into the lung tissues.
The new study suggests that biking or walking along heavy bus routes might be as bad for your health as you might suspect when choking on exhaust fumes. That’s something cities might want to consider as they plan new routes for cyclists and pedestrians…..
Read the entire, original post here: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/gsoa-mlr101509.php
View abstract at: http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2009AM/finalprogram/abstract_164610.htm
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I’ve never understood why people enjoy biking along the busiest roads, as the inherent danger of passing cars is amplified by the exhaust fumes and high particulate count present in the air.