Abstract:In this study, elution method was used to determine the retention quality amounts of TSP (larger particles) and PM2.5 (smaller particles) per unit leaf area of 15 common afforest plant species. The retentive capacities of TSP and PM2.5 for leaves from different plant species were analyzed and compared, and the location-variation law was investigated. Results showed:(1) There were significant differences in the retention amounts of TSP and PM2.5 per unit leaf area among plant species, ranging from 3.68 to 5.94 g/m2 for TSP, and from 0.47 to 0.92 g/m2 for PM2.5, respectively. The largest difference of retention amounts for plant species reached up to 2 times. (2) In the same location, the retention capacities of TSP and PM2.5 for different plant species varied as the variations of canopy height, blade surface roughness and specific leaf weight. Specifically, the sequence of retention capacities from high to low was hedge plants, bush plants and arbor plants, and the species with larger specific leaf weight had stronger retention capacity. For the factors of surface roughness, the retention amount of particles increased as the increase of groove depth, and a leaf with neither too wide nor too narrow groove width was proved to have good retention capacity. (3) For the retention amount of TSP in varied locations, the sequence from high to low was Industrial Area (IA), Transportation Area (TA), Open-pit Mine (OP), and Clean Area (CA). In the case of PM2.5, there were little difference at those locations. The particle retention amounts per leaf area or per plant of P.albavar.pramidalis and Syringa oblata were higher than those of other examined species. Thus, those two species could be chosen as the priority species for urban afforestation for cities in Northwest of Liaoning Province with much dust weather.