Recent changes in heavy metal pollution in Ankara city center

Urban air pollution, one of the world's most critical problems, threatens human health in many urban centers and causes the death of millions of people every year. Heavy metals have particular importance among the components of air pollution. This importance is due to the fact that heavy metals can last for a long time in nature without undergoing biodegradation, and they accumulate biologically in living organisms. Moreover, their concentration in the air gradually rises. Therefore, monitoring the concentration of heavy metals is extremely important for reliable indicators of environmental pollution. Biomonitors are one of the methods used for monitoring heavy metal concentrations. The heavy metals selected within the scope of this study have various adverse effects on plants when in high concentrations. On the other hand, they can be quite harmful, toxic, carcinogenic, and deadly for humans and other living things. Moreover, they can be much more harmful if taken into the human body by the respiratory route. Therefore, monitoring the change in heavy metal concentrations in the air is extremely important. This study aims to determine the change of heavy metal pollution in the air in the last 30 years in Ankara city center by using the annual rings panicuata of Elaegnus angustifolia L., Platanus orientalis L., Coelreuteria paniculata Laxm, Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, Cedrus atlantica (Endl.) Manetti ex Carr. trees. As a result of the study, it was found that heavy metal pollution in the air has changed significantly, especially Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle and Platanus orientalis L., it has been determined that the concentration of heavy metals in the species varies significantly.