pH level, ascorbic acid, proline and soluble sugar as bio - indicators for pollution

The analysis of four biochemical parameters such as pH, ascorbic acid, proline and soluble sugar were carried out to investigate their response to pollution stress. Fifteen samples of plant leaves were collected in duplicate along the Ughelli – Patani metropolis in Ughelli North local government area of Delta State, Nigeria. The pH of the leave samples were measured after calibrating the pH meter; Ascorbic acid content (expressed in mg/g) was measured using spectrophotometric method; Proline content in the leaves of plants was determined following the protocol based on the formation of red colored formazone with ninhydrin in acidic medium which is soluble in organic solvent like toluene. Soluble sugar was determined by ion exchange chromatography. While the biochemical content of the leaf species under investigation shows a trend of a decrease of pH values; increase ascorbic acid and proline content and a reduced sugar content all from the polluted sites except for Musa paradisiaca L. and Manihot esculenta that shows alternate results and vice versa. An overview of the entire results obtained from this study reveals that different plants respond differently to air pollution with plant growing in polluted site having higher ascorbic acid content, proline values and lower pH and soluble sugar content as compared to the polluted sites and vice versa. Keywords: Ascorbic acid, Proline, soluble sugar, pH, pollutant