Abstract
The study evaluates pollution by Pb, Zn, and Cr, and a possible sustainable solution through phytoremediation technologies, in the surroundings of Haina, a very polluted area of the Dominican Republic. Soils and plants were analyzed at 11 sampling points. After sample processing, the elemental composition was analyzed by ICP-OES. Soil metal concentrations, contaminating factors, pollution load indexes, and the Nemerow pollution index were assessed. Soil metal concentrations showed Pb > Zn > Cr, resulting in very strong Pb pollution and medium-impact Zn pollution, with an anthropogenic origin in some sites. This means that some agricultural and residential restrictions must be applied. Accumulation levels in plant tissues, bioaccumulation factors in roots and shoots, and translocation factors were determined for Acalypha alopecuroidea, Achyranthes aspera, Amaranthus dubius, Bidenspilosa, Heliotropium angiospermum, Parthenium hysterophorus, and Sida rhombifolia. The vast majority of the plants showed very low levels of the potentially toxic elements studied, although it may be advisable to take precautions before consumption as they are all considered edible, fodder, and/or medicinal plants. Despite their low rate of bioaccumulation, most of the plants studied could be suitable for the application of phytoremediation of Zn in the field, although further studies are needed to assess their potential for this.
Highlights
Soil pollution has been accepted as a worldwide problem owing to the large number of sites contaminated with metals and metalloids as a result of urban, industrial, mining or ore tailing landfill activities [1,2], due to the hazards for humans and the ecosystem trophic chains [2] of these recalcitrant pollutants, generally referred to as potentially toxic elements (PTEs)
This study aims to characterize the vegetation and soils that are highly contaminated with lead and other metals from a former battery factory located in the Caribbean, to identify their environmental risks and assess the possible usefulness of some of these plant species for phytoextraction or phytostabilization purposes
The typical soils of the study area are mainly Luvic Calcisols (WRB) [24], brown in color, with a depth of 50 to 100 cm, an average slope of about 7% gradually decreasing from sampling point 0 to sampling point 4, a clay loam texture, and good drainage [44]
Summary
Soil pollution has been accepted as a worldwide problem owing to the large number of sites contaminated with metals and metalloids as a result of urban, industrial, mining or ore tailing landfill activities [1,2], due to the hazards for humans and the ecosystem trophic chains [2] of these recalcitrant pollutants, generally referred to as potentially toxic elements (PTEs). In comparison with the average content of Pb, Zn, and Cr in the Earth’s crust [48], the soil background levels for the studied area (Table 1) showed values of Pb and Zn clearly above the mean value of the planet’s top layer, whereas for Cr, the situation was just the opposite. With values clearly below the background values for all the soils of this area Based on these data, it should be noted that the concentrations of these elements varied. Other factors, in the study area, with levels of Pb 0.1–62.9 Such as vehicle exhausts derived from the use of petrol with [50], in this case it seems times the background values (Table 1). For the case of Pb, these high levels could indicate clear that the former factory is the main source of this metal pollution
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