Accumulation behavior of heavy metals by Bidens pilosa L. from metallurgical slag: effects on plant physiology and absorption characteristics

• Published in: Journal of mountain science 2023-09, Vol.20 (9), p.2580-2591
• Main Authors: Wei, Meng, Sun, Zheng, Cui, Bu-li, He, Yang, Dong, Zhi-cheng, Meng, Ling-xiao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abandoned mines; Absorption; Accumulation; Bidens pilosa; Cadmium; Catalase; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Ecology; Environment; Geography; Heavy metals; Industrial pollution; Land pollution; Lead; Metabolism; Metal concentrations; Metal industry wastes; Mining; Nonferrous metals; Original Article; Physiology; Plant physiology; Plant resistance; Plant tissues; Plants; Pollution levels; Slag; Soil contamination; Soil properties; Soil stresses; Soil testing; Stress concentration; Superoxide dismutase; Sustainable development; Topsoil; Toxicity; Zinc
• ISSN: 1672-6316; 1993-0321; 1008-2786
• DOI: 10.1007/s11629-023-7981-1

Many of the abandoned mining and industrial land in villages and towns are seriously polluted by heavy metals in China, it is necessary for sustainable development to adopt efficient and economical ways to restore the ecology of abandoned mining and industrial land. Pollution level of topsoil contaminated with metallurgical slag from non-ferrous metal smelting waste site in Baoding, North China and the heavy metals (HMs) accumulation behavior of Bidens pilosa L. ( B. pilosa , native pioneer plant) were studied. Two selected study sites were mainly contaminated by As (270∼434 mg/kg), Cd (63∼95 mg/kg), Pb (5496∼24504 mg/kg) and Zn (4500∼21300 mg/kg), which exceed the national standard severely. Investigation of multi-metal accumulation in different parts of B. pilosa indicated that the absorption of toxic metals varied by types, concentration and species of HMs under stress conditions, soil property and plant tissues. The results showed that B. pilosa had excellent ability to accumulate HMs under different HMs stress condition, with the highest accumulation concentration of 85 mg/kg for As, 380 mg/kg for Cd, 4000 mg/kg for Pb, and 7500 mg/kg for Zn in roots under experimental conditions, respectively. The growth trend of B. pilosa declined with the increase of HMs stress concentration in tested soils. HMs stress led to different degrees of plant toxicity and obstruction of physiological metabolism. Among the plant physiological index, Chla and ChlT decreased 28.0% and 28.1%, 37.3% and 35.5% under different stress treatments, respectively. Indicators related to physiological metabolic strength and stress resistance of plant, such as MDA (Malondiadehyde), CAT (catalase), SOD (superoxide dismutase) and SP (soluble protein), all increased with the increase of HMs stress concentration.