EVALUATION OF THE ROLE OF TREES IN REMOVING AIR POLLUTANTS AT SELECTED UNIVERSITIES IN HO CHI MINH CITY USING I-TREE ECO MODEL

Abstract

Air pollution is one of the most concerns problems currently. The air quality of urban areas depends directly and indirectly on urban vegetation because trees are identified to have ability to remove air pollutants. In this study, I-tree Eco model was used to quantify the removal ability of air pollutants from trees at selected universities in Ho Chi Minh City. Tree species, total tree height, stem diameter at breast height and tree location were collected in 2021. The results showed that the trees on the campus of the International University and the University of Technology removed approximately 10 kg and 14 kg of PM_2.5/year (equivalent to 1.51 and 2.16 million VND); stored 64 and 92.7 tons of carbon/year (equivalent to 6.63 and 9.55 million VND), and absorbing 13.23 and 27.85 tons of CO₂ equivalent, respectively. Senegal mahogany and Cassia tree species had the greatest ability to remove fine particle, stored and absorbed carbon among the remaining species of the two universities. In the next 10 years, when all species in the International University and the University of Technology is replaced by Senegal mahogany and Cassia species, environmental and economic benefits of PM_2.5 removal, carbon storage and sequestration will increase by 40% compared to the existing species composition.