Effect of the Khan River Water on Chlorophyll Content, Carotenoids and Enzyme Activities of Ipomoea fistulosa and Polygonum barbatum

In present study, the physico-chemical characteristics of the Khan river at four selected polluted stations were measured. Two plant species, Ipomoea fistulosa and Polygonum barbatum, which grow abundantly at all sampling stations of the Khan river bank, were selected to determine the effect of pollutants on chlorophyll contents (chl-a, chl-b, total chlorophyll), carotenoids, nitrate reductase and peroxidase activity. The study revealed that all the selected physico-chemical parameters were higher at Kabirkheri (Station 4) which indicated that pollution load was much higher at this station as compared to the other three stations. Chl-a, chl-b, carotenoids, total chlorophyll, nitrate reductase and peroxidase activity all parameters were higher at Station 4. Among both the selected plant species Polygonum barbatum showed good correlation with pollutants for all parameters studied.