ACCUMULATION OF HEAVY METALS IN WASTEWATER, SOIL AND UPTAKE BY PLANT SPECIES WITH PHYTOREMEDIATION POTENT

Abstract

The present study was to evaluate the concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cr and Cu) in soils, waste water and different plant organs; define which species and which plant organs exhibit the greatest accumulation and evaluate whether these species could be usefully employed in phytoremediation programs. Al- Marj plain is located in north eastern parts of Libya at the western edge of Al-Akhdar Mountain. Seven locations, distributed in polluted area. Data collected from heavy metal analysis demonstrated that the levels of the recorded metals in waste water were above the standard levels of USEPA, FAO and standard levels of Syrian Standard adopted by National Environmental Quality Standards for municipal and liquid industrial effluents in Libya. Heavy metals concentration in polluted soil samples were decreased in Sequence of: Cu>Cr>Cd. The thirteen species were subjected to suitable analysis to determine their capabilities for heavy metals accumulation as well as the metal allocation was also investigated. The results indicated that Cd could be accumulated in all plant organs (roots, stems and leaves). Generally, roots of some selected plants attained higher Cr and Cu, concentrations than other organs. The bioaccumulation factors of the investigated metals (BAF) increased in the sequence: Cu > Cr>Cd. According to the results Conium mculatum, Juncusrigidus,Uricadioica and Phragmitesaustralis could be used successfully in bio monitoring and phytoremediation programs for heavy metal contaminated soils.