Alterations in the Air Pollution Tolerance Indices and Foliar Micro-Structures of Five Medicinal Plants: Implications of OilSpill Pollution of Agricultural Farmland in Edugberi Community, Rivers State, Nigeria

The Nigerian costal environment has witnessed the continuous input of petroleum hydrocarbons and associated pollutants as a result of different phases of petroleum activities. These activities have elicited a devastating impact on terrestrial and aquatic biota, which constitute the people's major source of livelihood. Air pollution tolerance indices (APTI) and foliar photomicrograph were used in evaluating impact of oil spill on five medicinal plants (Costus afer, Centrosoma pubescens, Chromolaena odoranta, Psidium guajava and Musa sapientum) within an oil spill area in Edugberi community of Rivers State, Nigeria. The APTI of each plant was computed from four biochemical parameters namely: pH of the leaf extract, relative water content, ascorbic acid content and total chlorophyll content using standard methods. The results obtained showed that the mean values of APTI ranged from 7.98(0.78) in C. afer to 9.29(0.89) in M. sapientum for test site, while it ranged between 7.44(0.23) in P. guajava and 10.69(0.22) in M. sapientum for control site. The foliar photomicrographs analysis revealed alterations in foliar micro-structures in leaf samples from test site as compared to control samples. The study showed that oil spillage had marked negative impact on biochemical, physiological as well as anatomical configuration of selected medicinal plants which may affect their phyto-constituents and pharmacological profiles.