Trees 'aid asthmatic travellers'

07 October 2011 09:03

Trees can improve air quality by filtering out pollution particulates

Trees can improve air quality by filtering out pollution particulates

Locations with lots of trees are ideal for travellers with asthma and similar lung diseases, new research has shown.

Trees such as pines and evergreen oaks can enhance air quality significantly by filtering out pollution particulates that spark asthma, according to the study conducted by experts based at the University of Southampton.

The greenery of the Greater London Authority (GLA) area filters out somewhere between 850 and 2,000 tonnes of particulate pollution (PM10), which can be inhaled by humans, from the air every year, the survey said.

The results of the research were published in the journal Landscape And Urban Planning.

Holidaymakers suffering from respiratory conditions may wish to seek a comprehensive medical travel insurance policy before heading off to destinations without much greenery.

Professor Gail Taylor, one of the authors of the study, said: "Trees have evolved to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, so it's not surprising that they are also good at removing pollutants.

"Trees which have leaves the whole year are exposed to more pollution and so they take up more. Using a number of different tree species and modelling approaches, the effectiveness of the tree canopy for clean air can be optimised."

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