Concentrations of heavy metals and plant nutrients in water, sediments and aquatic macrophytes of anthropogenic lakes (former open cut brown coal mines) differing in stage of acidification

Abstract

Concentration of heavy metals (Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, V and Zn) as well as macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S) were measured in water, bottom sediments and plants from anthropogenic lakes in West Poland. The collected plants were: Phragmites australis, Potamogeton natans, Iris pseudoacorus, Juncus effusus, Drepanocladus aduncus, Juncus bulbosus, Phalaris arundinacea, Carex remota and Calamagrostis epigeios. Two reference lakes were sampled for Nymphaea alba, Phragmites australis, Schoenoplectus lacustris, Typha angustifolia and Polygonum hydropiper. These plants contained elevated levels of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu and Mn, and part of the plants contained in addition elevated levels of Mn, Fe, Pb, Ni and Zn. Analyses of water indicated pollution with sulfates, Cd, Co, Ni, Zn, Pb and Cu, and bottom sediments indicated that some of the examined lakes were polluted with Cd, Co and Cr. Strong positive correlations were found between concentrations of Co in water and in plants and between Zn in sediments and plants, indicating the potential of plants for pollution monitoring for this metal. Heavy metal accumulation seemed to be directly associated with the exclusion of Ca and Mg.