Comunidades de liquens e níveis de monóxido de carbono (co) como indicadores de qualidade do ar em três áreas no município de Belo Horizonte/MG

Abstract

The environment, according to the National High School Curriculum Parameters (PCNEM), deserves a lot of attention. When dealing with environmental issues, the focus is on human action towards nature. The level of air pollution varies greatly in large cities, such as Belo Horizonte. These levels may be higher in regions around high traffic roads of cars, trucks, motorcycles, and buses, and low in locations near parks or preservation areas. The present work promoted the measurement of air quality in three areas: 1) a public school located in a traditional neighborhood near the hypercentre of Belo Horizonte; 2) within the forested Campus of UFMG; and 3) a high-traffic Avenue near the Campus entrance. At school, the collection and analysis of data on air quality was done by students through a didactic sequence, under the guidance of the biology teacher. Data were collected on carbono monoxide (CO) levels using the AKSO CO77 Carbon Monoxide Meter, and on epiphytic lichen communities found on imperial palm tree trunks by adapting the methodology proposed by Troppmair. These data were compared by the students, who obtained that área 1 (school) is more polluted than área 2 (UFMG), and less polluted than área 3 (Antônio Carlos Avenue).