Kochi: Official reports on air pollution levels due to smoke and dust from industrial and vehicular emissions and landfill fires show that air pollution levels in Kochi city and surrounding areas are at average or normal levels.
However, a study using spider cobwebs here reveals that there are at least 12 heavy metals, some of which are toxic in nature, present in the air. Breathing this air is not just bad for lungs, but doctors say it affects brain and other organs over time.
Scientific studies indicate that excessive levels of lead, for instance, are toxic to nervous system and blood, while cadmium increases cancer risk, kidney damage and weakening of bones.
The most vulnerable are chronic asthma patients and those susceptible to respiratory infections. “Also, there is concern about bioaccumulation of heavy metals within human tissue,” said IMA-Kochi spokesperson Dr Rajeev Jayadevan.
For the study, samples were collected from public places like bus stands, shops and buildings that had not cleared cobwebs for a long time. Researchers decided to study spider webs due to their ability to trap pollutants passively.
“Spider webs possess the remarkable ability to capture and accumulate a range of airborne pollutants, including particulate matter (PM), heavy metals and even microplastics. Their sticky and durable nature allows webs to passively trap pollutants for extended periods, acting as a natural filter for environmental contaminants,” said senior scientist at Centre for Arachnology Research, Bharata Mata College, Mathew M Joseph, who conducted the study with his student Archana Anil of Sacred Heart College.
They presented the study findings at the eighth conference of Asian Society of Arachnology, held in Wuhan, China, recently.
Presence of heavy metal concentration was higher at urban sites like Thevara and industrial areas like FACT and least at the suburbs of Kizhakkambalam.
Researchers plan to use spider webs to study pollutants, including micro and nanoplastics and other nanopollutants in the atmosphere.
