Vol. 36 (2026): Volumen 36
Artículos de Investigación

Impact of urban trees on heavy metal reduction: analyzing citizen perception

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  • Blanca Catalina Ramírez Hernández,
  • Javier Eugenio García de Alba Verduzco,
  • Paulina Beatriz Gutiérrez Martínez
Blanca Catalina Ramírez Hernández
Universidad de Guadalajara
Javier Eugenio García de Alba Verduzco
Universidad de Guadalajara
Paulina Beatriz Gutiérrez Martínez
Universidad de Guadalajara
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15174/au.2026.4367

Published 2026-02-18

How to Cite

Ramírez Hernández, B. C., García de Alba Verduzco, J. E., & Gutiérrez Martínez, P. B. (2026). Impact of urban trees on heavy metal reduction: analyzing citizen perception. Acta Universitaria, 36, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.15174/au.2026.4367

Copyright (c) 2026 Blanca Catalina Ramírez Hernández, Javier Eugenio García de Alba Verduzco, Paulina Beatriz Gutiérrez Martínez

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Urban trees play a key role in reducing atmospheric heavy-metal pollution. In this study, we evaluated the capacity of three tree species to reduce airborne heavy metals and analyzed citizen perceptions and cultural consensus among residents of the municipality of Guadalajara regarding heavy-metal accumulation in urban tree leaves. Our results show that Ficus microcarpa leaves retained the highest concentrations of cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni), and that leaf washing removed approximately 30% of all analyzed metals. Perception data revealed differences associated with age and educational level; however, notably, 52% of participants believe that heavy metals accumulate in tree leaves. These findings underscore the need for data-driven policies to mitigate atmospheric pollution, as well as the importance of integrating citizen perspectives into urban planning.

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