Plants accumulating heavy metals in the Danube River wetlands

Marius L Matache,Alin Tudorache,Constantin Marin,Laurentiu Rozylowicz

doi:10.1186/2052-336x-11-39

Abstract

BackgroundWe present herein our results regarding the accumulation of four heavy metals (copper, cadmium, lead, and zinc) in four aquatic species plants (Ceratophyllum demersum, Potamogeton pectinatus, Potamogeton lucens, Potamogeton perfoliatus) collected from the Danube River, South-Western part of Romania and their possible use as indicators of aquatic ecosystems pollution with heavy metals.MethodsElements concentration from the vegetal material was determined through Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry.ResultsThe species were chosen based on their previous use as bioindicators in aquatic ecosystems and due to the fact they are one of the most frequent aquatic plant species of the Danube River ecosystems within the Iron Gates Natural Park. Highest amounts are recorded for Ceratophyllum demersum (3.52 μg/g for Cd; 22.71 μg/g for Cu; 20.06 μg/g for Pb; 104.23 μg/g for Zn). Among the Potamogeton species, the highest amounts of heavy metals are recorded in Potamogeton perfoliatus (1.88 μg/g for Cd; 13.14 μg/g for Cu; 13.32 μg/g for Pb; 57.96 μg/g for Zn). The sequence for the bioconcentration factors (BCFs) calculated in order to describe the accumulation of the four metals is Cd >> Zn > Pb > Cu. Increase of the zinc concentration determines an increase of the cadmium concentration (Spearman rho=0.40, p=0.02).ConclusionsDespite the low ambiental levels of heavy metals, the four aquatic plants have the ability to accumulate significant amounts, which make them useful as biological indicators. BCF value for Ceratophyllum demersum indicated this species as a cadmium hyperaccumulator.

Highlights

We present our results regarding the accumulation of four heavy metals in four aquatic species plants (Ceratophyllum demersum, Potamogeton pectinatus, Potamogeton lucens, Potamogeton perfoliatus) collected from the Danube River, South-Western part of Romania and their possible use as indicators of aquatic ecosystems pollution with heavy metals
Our research aims are: 1) to investigate the amount of heavy metals in water and four plant species (Ceratophyllum demersum, Potamogeton pectinatus, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Potamogeton lucens) collected from the Danube River wetlands within the Iron Gates Natural Park in South-Western Romania and 2) to discuss the opportunity of using these aforementioned plant species as indicators of the aquatic ecosystems pollution level with heavy metals
We tested the differences between the concentrations of heavy metals in the four analysed species (i.e. Ceratophyllum demersum, Potamogeton pectinatus, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Potamogeton lucens) using ANOVA non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test

Summary

Introduction

We present our results regarding the accumulation of four heavy metals (copper, cadmium, lead, and zinc) in four aquatic species plants (Ceratophyllum demersum, Potamogeton pectinatus, Potamogeton lucens, Potamogeton perfoliatus) collected from the Danube River, South-Western part of Romania and their possible use as indicators of aquatic ecosystems pollution with heavy metals. Ceratophyllum demersum was identified as a hyperaccumulator species for cadmium [14], Salvinia minima has the capacity to remove lead from aqueous solutions [15], whilst Cladophora sp. The capacity of plants to hyperaccumulate trace elements is influenced by the presence of humic substances or other chelating substances [17,18], temperature and salinity [19] or amount of metal released through leaves [20]

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Results

Conclusion