A Comparison of the Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes in Oleander and C.arizonica under the Effect of Air Pollution in Tehran

Air pollution may be natural or synthetic. Synthetic air pollution mainly comes from the vehicles and factories. Using data from Environmental Protection Organization and Air Quality Control Agency, Azadi and Pounak were selected as polluted and clean regions, respectively. The leaves of two plant species i.e., Nerium oleander and Cupressus arizonica, planted in street sides of the polluted and clean regions of Tehran were collected and the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase was measured. The results showed that air pollution increased the activity of catalase and peroxidase in the polluted area. The ascorbate peroxidase activity decreased in the polluted area in comparison to the clean one.