Needle-Based Assessment of Urban and Industrial Air Pollution in Aktobe

This study is devoted to assessing the degree of pollution with atmospheric particles and dust in the urbanized and industrial zones of the Aktobe Region, Republic of Kazakhstan, using the needles of the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and the Norway spruce (Picea abies) as bioindicators. These trees are good indicators of the state of the air because their needles may collect pollutants like dust, soot, heavy metals, and sulphur dioxide. The study used a variety of techniques, such as quantitative measurement of needle damage and desiccation, biotesting for radioactive contamination, the Hertel turbidity test, and ocular evaluation of needle quality. The study was conducted in 13 districts of the city of Aktobe with different levels of anthropogenic load. The results showed significant differences in the degree of contamination, with particularly high levels of harmful substances in Objects 8, 9, 10, and 13. Object 9 was identified as the most polluted, reaching pollution class VI by the condition of needles and an independent atmosphere assessment. The study confirms the high efficiency of using conifers for rapid assessment of the state of the atmosphere, proving that needle-based bioindication is an affordable and reliable method of environmental monitoring under anthropogenic load.