Variability in protein content of pollen of Castor bean (Ricinus communis) before and after exposure to the air pollutants SO{\rm _{2}} and NO{\rm _{2}}

Figures & data

Mean extractable soluble protein content (mg/ml of 1:20 w/v) of the Ricinus communis pollen exposed to SO {\rm _{2}} for different concentrations and durations.

Pollutant Conc. (μg/m {\rm ^{3}} )	Protein content (mg/ml)*
	8 hrs	16 hrs	32 hrs	48 hrs
100	10.38	1.84	1.83	1.08
200	6.00	2.19	2.44	2.61
300	11.01	1.66	2.18	1.82
400	9.54	2.08	2.05	1.93
500	10.80	2.28	3.33	2.62
* – Protein content in unexposed (control) pollen of R. communis was 5.8 mg/ml

Analysis of variance (nested design) for total soluble protein content of (mg/ml, 1:20 w/v) Ricinus communis pollen exposed to SO {\rm _{2.}}

Source of variation	Degree of freedom	Sum of squares	Mean of squares	F ratio	Probability level
Replication	4	10.160	2.54	2.48	<0.05*
Concentration	5	81.552	16.31	15.92	<0.01**
Duration of exposure	3	865.610	288.54	281.61	<0.01**
Interaction between concentration and duration of exposure	15	219.691	14.64	14.29	<0.01**
Error	92	94.264	1.025
Total	119
* – Significant; ** – Highly significant.

Mean soluble protein content of (mg/ml 1:20 w/v) Ricinus communis pollen exposed to NO {\rm _{2}} for different concentrations and durations.

Pollutant Conc. (μg/m {\rm ^{3}} )	Protein content (mg/ml)*
	8 hrs	16 hrs	32 hrs	48 hrs
100 μg/m {\rm ^{3}}	0.98	1.73	1.40	2.45
100 μg/m {\rm ^{3}}	0.98	1.73	1.40	2.45
200 μg/m {\rm ^{3}}	0.82	2.18	1.46	1.40
300 μg/m {\rm ^{3}}	1.75	1.58	1.67	1.28
400 μg/m {\rm ^{3}}	2.75	1.48	2.20	2.38
500 μg/m {\rm ^{3}}	3.44	2.67	2.74	1.91
*Protein content in unexposed (control) pollen of R. communis was 5.8 mg/ml.

Analysis of variance (nested design) for total soluble protein content (mg/ml of 1:20) of Ricinus communis pollen exposed to NO {\rm _{2}} .

Source of variation	Degree of freedom	Sum of squares	Mean of squares	F – ratio	Probability level
Replication	4	2.443	0.611	9.834	<0.01**
Concentration	5	254.945	50.98	821.21	<0.01**
Duration of exposure	3	0.078	0.016	<1.00	>0.05 {\rm ^{NS}}
Interaction between concentration and duration of exposure	15	45.305	3.020	48.64	<0.01**
Error	92	5.712	0.062
Total	119
{\rm ^{NS}} – Non significant; ** – Highly significant.

Variation in the mean soluble protein content (mg/ml of 1:20 w/v) of the Ricinus communis pollen exposed to SO {\rm _{2}} +NO {\rm _{2}} for different concentrations and durations.

Pollutant conc. (μg/m {\rm ^{3}} )	Protein content (mg/ml)*
	8 hrs	16 hrs	24 hrs
100	3.32	3.05	2.74
300	2.70	2.63	1.77
500	2.10	1.06	0.93
* Protein content in unexposed (control) pollen of R. communis was 5.8 mg/ml.

Analysis of variance (nested design) for total soluble protein content (mg/ml of 1:20) of Ricinus communis pollen exposed to SO {\rm _{2}} +NO {\rm _{2}} .

Source of Variation	Degree of freedom	Sum of squares	Mean of squares	F–ratio	Probability level
Replication	4	2.694	0.673	2.06	>0.05 {\rm ^{NS}}
Concentration	3	167.109	55.703	170.76	<0.01**
Duration of exposure	2	4.281	2.140	6.56	<0.01**
Interaction between concentration and duration of exposure	6	3.285	0.547	1.68	>0.05 {\rm ^{NS}}
Error	44	14.352	0.326
Total	59
{\rm ^{NS}} – Non significant; ** – Highly significant.

Diagrammatic sketch of the Glass Chamber used for the exposure of Ricinus communis pollen with pollutants SO₂ and NO₂.

Line diagram depicting total soluble protein content (mg/ml) in 1:20 (w/v) extracts of Ricinus communis pollen exposed to: (A) SO₂; (B) NO₂; (C) SO₂+NO₂ of different concentrations and durations of exposures.