Increasing levels of pollution put plants under stress, leading to changes in their biochemical factors, which can be measured using the pollution tolerance index (APTI). APTI is a measure of environmental stress on flora, and it is calculated using four parameters (chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, relative water content, and pH). Earlier work in the same belt showed a positive correlation between stress and APTI but concentrated on woody trees only. This study was conducted in the Durgapur industrial belt, West Bengal, from August 2019 to February 2020. Eighteen plant species (herbs) were collected, assessed, and categorized as sensitive, intermediate, and tolerant based on their seasonal APTI values. Results showed that Solanum sisymbriifolium fell in the intermediate range in all three seasons. Persicaria sp. was identified as a tolerant species throughout and could be used to form a green belt. Persicaria orientalis was a sensitive species and can be used as an indicator of pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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