Arsenic and Heavy Metal Uptake and Accumulation in Native Plant Species from Soils Polluted by Mining Activities

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution air, and soil pollution, 2012-02, Vol.223 (2), p.559-572
• Main Authors: García-Salgado, Sara, García-Casillas, David, Quijano-Nieto, Ma. Angeles, Bonilla-Simón, Ma. Milagros
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accumulation; Analysis; Arsenic; Arsenic content; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Bioavailability; Cadmium; Chromium; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Copper; Corrigiola; Digitalis; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental conditions; Environmental monitoring; Flowers & plants; Heavy metal content; Heavy metals; Hydrogeology; Indigenous plants; Indigenous species; Jasione montana; Lead; Metals; Mineral industry; Mining; Mining industry; Mobility; Native species; Phytoremediation; Plant extracts; Plant species; Pollution; Soil analysis; Soil contamination; Soil pollution; Soil Science & Conservation; Soils; Studies; Toxicity; Translocation; Water Quality/Water Pollution; Zinc
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1007/s11270-011-0882-x

Arsenic and heavy metal (specifically Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) uptake, translocation, and accumulation in ten native plant species spontaneously growing in soils polluted by mining activities were studied, with a focus on future phytoremediation work in polluted soils. Plant and soil samples were collected in the vicinity of the Mónica mine (NW Madrid, Spain). Soil analysis showed the ability of native plants for growing in soils with high concentration levels of Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and especially As. From these elements, the highest percentage of extractable elements was found for Cd and the lowest for Pb. A highly significant correlation was observed between total and extractable element concentrations in soils, except for Cu, indicating that total concentration is the most relevant factor for element mobility in these soils. Extractable elements in soils were better correlated with concentrations in plants than total elements in soils; thus, extraction methods applied are suitable to estimate the element phytoavailable fraction in soils, which depends on the plant species and not only on the element mobility in soils. High element concentrations were found in the aboveground parts of Corrigiola telephiifolia (As and Pb), Jasione montana (Cd and Zn), and Digitalis thapsi (As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn). However, considering the translocation and accumulation factors, together with the concentration levels found in roots and aboveground parts, only C. telephiifolia could be considered a Pb accumulator and an As hyperaccumulator plant, which could be used for future phytoremediation work in soils polluted with As.