The effects of spent motor oil on pollen morphology of Atriplex canescens and Tamarix nilotica were studied in the selected polluted area at El Katameya-El Ain Sukhna road compared with unpolluted area. The total petroleum hydrocarbons TPH, determination of polyaromatic hydrocarbon by High Performance Liquid Chromatographic (HPLC) analysis, physiochemical analysis on the soil and air pollution analysis were done. Morphology of pollen grains of both plants was studied by SEM and EDAX (Scanning Electron Microscopic and Energy-Dispersive X-ray analysis). SEM studies revealed that pollen grains in the control area have shown clear exine pattern, normal pollen class condition pantoporate with microechinate for Atriplex canescens and tricolporate with reticulate for Tamarix nilotica. Whereas in polluted area severe deformation and blunt of exine in abnormal anther were noticed in Atriplex and irregular pollen with breakage of apertures in abnormal anther are recorded in Tamarix. Energy-Dispersive X-ray analysis of pollen in polluted area has shown appearance of certain elements combine with polyaromatic hydrocarbon and air pollutions. The studies have discussed the morphological changes in pollen characteristics in both plants under the influence of spent motor oil pollution. On the other hand, the present work proved that the colporate pollen grains was more tolerant of pollution than the porate pollen grains, whereas the previous taxonomical studies referred to colporate pollen was more advanced than porate.
Key words: Atriplex canescens, Tamarix nilotica, Spent motor oil, EDAX, PAHs, Pollen morphology, Pollution.
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