Lead accumulation in plants grown in polluted soils. Screening of native species for phytoremediation

By M. J. Salazar, M. L. Pignata. 2014

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Abstract In the present work, we focused on soils contaminated with elevated lead concentrations in an agricultural and residential area surrounding a lead smelter plant in Bouwer, province of Cordoba, Argentina. The aim of this research work was to assess the phytoextraction suitability of native plant species growing in the vicinity of a former lead smelter. The lead concentration in leaves, stems and roots was determined in ten species collected at ten sampling sites along a lead concentration gradient in soil. It was found that at circa 1600 μg g − 1 Pb HCl 0.5 M extractable concentration in soil two native species, Tagetes minuta L. and Bidens pilosa L. accumulated high values of Pb concentration in leaves (380.5 μg g − 1 DW and 100.6 μg g − 1 DW, respectively). Therefore, T. minuta L. and B. pilosa L. have a considerable phytoremediation potential for lead polluted soils. At the same sampling site, Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers., a non-native species, only bioconcentrate lead in roots (1406.8 μg g − 1 DW) showing a phytostabilization potential. The results of this study should be further developed in order to confirm the potential use of these species in soil remediation programs.

Subfields: Analytical Chemistry, Plant Science, Pollution

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/bc7b33e8a294a8201c384a60236a0021c6dd1d72