Abstract:It is proved by the analysis of large amount of information obtained by the use of colour infrared film that remote sensing technique can be used in the study of the relationship between vegetation and air pollution, and thus the use of remote sensing technique in monitoring environment is justified. The criteria for interpreting vegetation information are: the change of the tone of the image, the shape of the tree crown and the vegetation with time and space. On base of these criteria the characteristics of the images of different kinds of tree on the colour infrared film are analysed, and then the relationship between different kinds of plant and air pollution is, determined.The characteristics of the images of seven kinds of common sidewalk trees in Tianjin are analysed. They are: Populus tomentosa, Fraxinus velutina, Robinia pseudoacacia, Salix babylonica, S. matsudana, Sophora japonica and Sabina chinensis. Then, a number of areas where pollution has caused marked ecological changes are chosen for investigation. The contents of sulphur, fluorine and chlorine of the sample leaves, and the pH value of the bark were determined. Then, the above data are compared with those for the same kind of tree in less polluted areas. The result based on large amount of data shows that the information of vegetation pollution obtained by means of the colour infrared film is consistent with the chemical, effects on the plants; marked relationship exists between them.This paper emphasized the effectiveness of the use of colour infrared film for vegetation interpretation in the study of air pollution, and notes that the remote sensing technique is an efficient and accurate means of monitoring air pollution, delimiting the polluted area and determining the pollution level. The application of this advanced technique should be recommended and encouraged.