ABSTRACT
Many inorganic compounds that are present in industrial wastes emitted into the atmosphere have a harmful effect on humans and animals. Some of these compounds are poisonous; others are carcinogenic or mutagenic; still others are teratogenic or allergenic. Plants are particularly sensitive to the presence of lead, copper, zinc, cadmium, sulfur dioxide, chlorine, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, ozone, fluorine, nitrogen oxides, and aerosols [106–108] . Some of these substances are absorbed by plants from the air and the soil, and they subsequently enter the body of man and animals as part of the food they consume. Some plants may absorb harmful substances without apparent damage to themselves, but can cause poisoning when consumed as food [119]. Some chemical substances can affect the climate, causing haze and reduced visibility [5,122].
