Trace Element Levels in Native Plant Species around the Industrial Site of Puchuncaví-Ventanas (Central Chile): Evaluation of the Phytoremediation Potential

Soroush Salmani-Ghabeshi,Francisco Cereceda-Balic,Eduardo Pinilla-Gil,Conrado Miró-Rodríguez,Ximena Fadic-Ruiz

doi:10.3390/app11020713

Soroush Salmani-Ghabeshi, Francisco Cereceda-Balic + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/app11020713

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Abstract

The present work investigates the uptake of selected trace elements (Cu, Sb, As, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr, Mn, Ni, V, and Co) from soil and their accumulation in the biomass samples (leaves and flowers) of three selected native plants (namely Oenothera picensis, OP; Sphaeralcea velutina, SV; and Argemone subfusiformis, AS) around an industrial area (Puchuncaví-Ventanas) located in the Puchuncaví valley, in the central region of Chile. Primary emission sources in the area come from a copper refinery, coal-fired power plants, and a set of 14 other different industrial facilities. Trace element measurements in the native plants of this area and the ability to transfer of these pollutants from soil to plants (transfer factor) have been assessed in order to identify the potential use of these plant species for phytoremediation. Preliminary results showed a high concentration of trace elements in the OP, SV, and AS samples. The concentration of these elements in the plants was found to be inversely correlated to the distance of the primary emission sources. Moreover, the high concentrations of trace elements such as Cu, As, Cr and V, upon the toxic limits in the native plant species, suggest the need for continuous monitoring of the region. The OP species was identified as the plant with the highest capacity for trace elements accumulation, which also showed higher accumulation potential in whole aerial parts than in leaves. Transfer factor values suggested that these native plants had phytoremediation potential for the elements Cu, Pb, As, Ni, and Cr. This study provides preliminary baseline information on the trace element compositions of important native plants and soil in the Puchuncaví-Ventanas area for phytoremediation purposes.

Highlights

IntroductionTrace metals and other trace elements are known as one of the most critical environmental issues with harmful effects on both human and biophysical environments
The results of our work indicated that O. picensis (OP) and S. velutina (SV) species exhibited medium (200–600 mg kg−1 ) accumulation of Cu, in Los Maitenes (LM) and La Greda (LG) for OP and in LM for SV, respectively
Three native plant species were collected in different locations around the industrial area of Puchuncaví-Ventanas, and the concentrations of 11 trace elements and their corresponding transfer factors were determined

Summary

Introduction

Trace metals and other trace elements are known as one of the most critical environmental issues with harmful effects on both human and biophysical environments. They may come from atmospheric and terrestrial sources. Different anthropogenic activities such as mining, ignition of fossil fuels, metalworking industries, and transport traffic can increase the levels of trace metals and other trace elements in natural matrices such as air, water, and soil [1]. The use of plants (or their component structures such as stems, roots, and/or leaves) as indicators and monitors of pollution, especially in soil and air, has become more widespread nowadays [2]. Some of the essential advantages inherent to this method include the ample availability of biological material, ease of species identification, sampling and treatment, and ubiquity of some genera, which facilitates covering large areas [3]

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