Accumulation of arsenic, lead, copper, and zinc, and synthesis of phytochelatins by indigenous plants of a mining impacted area

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2013-06, Vol.20 (6), p.3946-3955
• Main Authors: Machado-Estrada, Blenda, Calderón, Jaqueline, Moreno-Sánchez, Rafael, Rodríguez-Zavala, José S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Arsenic; Arsenic - metabolism; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biodegradation, Environmental; Bioremediation; By products; Chemical elements; Contaminants; Copper; Copper - metabolism; DNA damage; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Euphorbia - metabolism; FABRICATION; Flowers & plants; Heavy metal content; Heavy metals; IMPACT PROPERTIES; Indicator organisms; Indigenous plants; Lead; Lead (metal); Lead - metabolism; MINING; Mining industry; Native species; Phytochelatins; Phytochelatins - biosynthesis; Phytoremediation; Plant Leaves - metabolism; Plant Roots - metabolism; Research Article; Risk assessment; Soil (material); Soil contamination; Soil Pollutants - metabolism; Soil pollution; Studies; Synthesis; Toxicity; Translocation; Urban areas; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Zinc; Zinc - metabolism
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-012-1344-8

Several native plants, able to grow in an unconfined mining impacted area that is now in close vicinity with urban areas, were evaluated for their ability to accumulate heavy metals. The main soil contaminants were As, Pb, Cu, and Zn. Sampling of the rhizospheric metal polluted soil showed that Euphorbia prostrata Aiton, Parthenium incanum Kunth, and Zinnia acerosa (DC.) A. Gray were able to grow in the presence of high amounts of mixtures of these elements. The plants accumulated the metals in the above ground parts and increased the synthesis of thiol molecules. E. prostrata showed the highest capacity for accumulation of the mixture of elements (588 μg g DW −1 ). Analysis of the thiol-molecules profile showed that these plants synthesized high amounts of long-chain phytochelatins, accompanied by low amounts of monothiol molecules, which may be related to their higher resistance to As and heavy metals. The three plants showed translocation factors from roots to leaves >1 for As, Pb, Cu, and Zn. Thus, by periodically removing aerial parts, these plants could be useful for the phytoremediation of semi-arid and arid mining impacted areas, in which metal hyper-accumulator plants are not able to grow.