Ibrahem A.A. Almohisen
"The study was intended to investigate the effect of ambient air pollution on four legumes species. The investigated legumes species were Pisum sativum L. (green pea), Vicia faba L. (broad bean), Glycine max (soya bean) and Vigna sinensis (cow pea). The four types of legumes were grown during the summer season, in four sites affected by the high traffic intensity and industrial activities in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The results depict an increase in air pollution (O3, NO2 and SO2); as traffic density and industrial activities increased. Mostly free amino acids contents gradually increased in the plant’s leaves as pollutants increased. This study concludes that the changes in free amino acids contents indicate the high levels of air pollution in three sites. Accumulation of free amino acids may act as a protective mechanism to air pollution stress."