LICHENS AS BIO-INDICATOR FOR AIR POLLUTION IN KLANG SELANGOR, MALAYSIA

摘要

Various methods have been developed to gauge air pollution. This study was conducted to determine the levels of air pollution in Klang, Selangor using bio-indicators (lichens). This study aim to investigate the level of air pollution in urbanized area (Klang) using the bio-indicator (lichens). A total of 20 sites in Klang, Selangor were selected as sampling stations. A sampling method was adopted in which microbial diversity quadraton Lichen that lived in a tree at the trunk area was given a score according to the standard index score of lichens. A score value of more than 10 shows a very clean air, between 0 and 9 moderately clean, and less than 1 poor or polluted. Results of the study revealed that the minimum score for Klang, Selangor as recorded is Port Klang with-2.5 and the maximum that been recorded was Botanic Walk with 20.67. The average score for air quality in the study area was thus 5.93 which could be considered as moderately clean. The main pollutants in the study area were found to be mainly dust and smoke emitted from motor vehicles. Therefore, increasing of number of vehicles will also increasing the concentration of pollutant gaseous in the air and eventually decreasing lichen frequency counts in the vicinity. Hence, the study shows that air pollution level not only can be measured using instrumental approach but also using bio-indicators.