Phytoremediation potential of wild plants growing on soil contaminated with heavy metals

  • Vladica Čudić PWW DOO, 25. maj bb, 18000 Niš
  • Dragoslava Stojiljković University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
  • Aleksandar Jovović University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
Keywords: arsenic, bioconcentration factor, biomass, cadmium, chromium, copper, hyperaccumulator, lead, mullein, nickel, phytoextraction, phytostabilisation, ragweed, rhizosphere, translocation factor, zinc

Abstract

Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that employs higher plants to cleanup contaminated environments, including metal-polluted soils. Because it produces a biomass rich in extracted toxic metals, further treatment of this biomass is necessary. The aim of our study was to assess the five-year potential of the following native wild plants to produce biomass and remove heavy metals from a polluted site: poplar (Populus ssp.), ailanthus (Ailanthus glandulosa L.), false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), ragweed (Artemisia artemisiifolia L.), and mullein (Verbascum thapsus L). Average soil contamination with Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, and As in the root zone was 22,948.6 mg kg-1, 865.4 mg kg-1, 85,301.7 mg kg-1, 3,193.3 mg kg-1, 50.7 mg kg-1, 41.7 mg kg-1,and 617.9 mg kg-1, respectively. We measured moisture and ash content, concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, and As in the above-ground parts of the plants and in ash produced by combustion of the plants, plus gross calorific values. The plants' phytoextraction and phytostabilisation potential was evaluated based on their bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF). Mullein was identified as a hyperaccumulator for Cd. It also showed a higher gross calorific value (19,735 kJ kg-1) than ragweed (16,469 kJ kg-1).The results of this study suggest that mullein has a great potential for phytoextraction and for biomass generation, and that ragweed could be an effective tool of phytostabilisation.
Published
2016-09-22
How to Cite
1.
Čudić V, Stojiljković D, Jovović A. Phytoremediation potential of wild plants growing on soil contaminated with heavy metals. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol [Internet]. 2016Sep.22 [cited 2024Mar.28];67(3). Available from: https://arhiv.imi.hr/index.php/arhiv/article/view/468
Section
Original article