Abstract
The present study investigated the ability of two emergent macrophytes Typha elephantina and Typha domingensis for accumulation of six heavy metals in an arid habitat in Saudi Arabia. Plant samples (aboveground shoot and belowground root and rhizome) as well as sediment samples were collected and analyzed. Regarding the variation in sediment characters, PH, EC, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations of the T. elephantina sites were significantly higher than those of the T. domingensis sites; while Fe and Mn concentrations of the T. domingensis sites were significantly higher than those of the T. elephantina sites. T. elephantina allocated approximately 57.8% of its total biomass to leaves, 5.9% to flowers, 7.0% to peduncles, 18.7% to rhizomes and 10.6% to roots. The total above-ground biomass was 2.4 times that of the total below-ground biomass. T. domingensis allocated approximately 61.3% of its total biomass to leaves, 8.6% to flowers, 11.3% to peduncles, 9.8% to rhizomes and 9.0% to roots. The total above-ground biomass was 4.3 times that of the total below-ground biomass. Significant variations in Mn was recorded between T. elephantina and T. domingensis, while significant variations in Fe, Ni and Pb were recorded between the different organs. All heavy metals concentrations were significantly higher in belowground organs as compared to other plant organs. The heavy metal contents of T. elephantina and T. domingensis organs differed significantly between different plant organs. All the investigated species were characterized by a bioaccumulation factor > 1.0 for all heavy metals. In the present study, the translocation factor varied among plant species, among organs and among heavy metals. Finally, T. elephantina and T. domingensis could be regarded as a good candidates as phytoremediator for mitigating heavy metals pollution.
Highlights
The contamination of the aquatic ecosystems with heavy metals is the common environmental problem all‐over the world [1] and is a serious dilemma that threatens aquatic ecosystems, agriculture and human health [2]
The present study investigated the ability of two emergent macrophytes Typha elephantina and Typha domingensis for accumulation of six heavy metals in an arid habitat in Saudi Arabia
T. elephantina allocated approximately 57.8% of its total biomass to leaves, 5.9% to flowers, 7.0% to peduncles, 18.7% to rhizomes and 10.6% to roots
Summary
The contamination of the aquatic ecosystems with heavy metals is the common environmental problem all‐over the world [1] and is a serious dilemma that threatens aquatic ecosystems, agriculture and human health [2] These heavy metals originate from metals smelting and refining, electroplating, corrosion, and the use of pesticides, fertilizers, sewage sludge and municipal compost [3]. These heavy metals are serious pollutants in natural environments and cannot be degraded by microbial or chemical process and they may cause significant injury to ecosystems [4]. The transfer and accumulation of heavy metals in the animal and human bodies over the food chain cause DNA damage, carcinogenic effects and induction of mutations [2, 5].
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