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http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_16402656 <br />denverp <br />DENVER Posr <br />research showing they consume huge quantities <br />of organic compounds raises new possibilities for <br />Denver where city officials in 2006 embarked <br />on a mission to plant 1 million trees by 2025 <br />and other cities facing tighter federal air quality <br />standards. <br />Federal environmental regulators have deemed <br />Denver out of compliance for ozone. This week, <br />Regional Air Quality Council members were <br />brainstorming strategies for reducing volatile <br />organic compound pollution, including land -use <br />controls and fuel pricing and use of roadways <br />and parking. <br />"Of course, we would love it if there was <br />something that could suck up all the air <br />pollution," air quality council spokeswoman <br />Sarah Anderson said. <br />A 10- member team at NCAR's Boulder lab relied <br />on computer modeling, field observations from <br />towers above forests and genetic studies to <br />investigate the absorption of pollution through <br />stomata pores in tree leaves. They used mass <br />spectrometers to isolate and measure methyl <br />vinyl ketone, a dominant organic pollutant. <br />Plants probably are absorbing other pollutants <br />too, said Alex Guenther, section chief of NCAR's <br />biosphere- atmosphere interactions group. While <br />pine trees absorb pollution, researcher's aren't <br />sure how much because the study focused on <br />deciduous vegetation, including shrubs. <br />U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials <br />are compelling cities to come up with and adhere <br />to plans for reducing air pollution. Cities that fail <br />to comply face possible loss of federal <br />transportation funding. <br />The NCAR team this week observed keen <br />interest among climate- change scientists in <br />their findings, because plant absorption of <br />pollutants "has been somewhat ignored," <br />Guenther said. <br />"It will be interesting to see what impact this has <br />in an area like Denver," he said. "But tree <br />planting alone is certainly not going to solve <br />Denver's smog problem." <br />Bruce Finley: 303 954 -1700 or bfinley@denverpo- <br />st. com <br />http://www.denverpost.com/fdcp?1287759146539 <br />Print Powered By <br />Page 2 of 2 <br />mo Lt n rr is f <br />10/22/2010 <br />