Metal Concentrations In Plants Research Articles

Screening of new native metallophytes from copper abandoned mining site: Promising tool for phytoremediation

AbstractA field survey on abandoned mining site ‘Bir Nehass‐Morocco’ was conducted to identify new native metallophytes as a promising tool for phytoremediation. The spatial distribution of metals in tailings and mining soils was investigated and metal accumulation in plant tissues was analyzed and compared. The results indicated that the studied area was polluted by Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd Cadmium with maximum values of 2892, 27868.3, 6982 and 63.03 mg.kg−1, respectively, which are higher than background levels for agricultural soils. The concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd decreased with the distance from the mine tailings. Thirteen species (11 families) were identified and mainly native and therophyte plants. Significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed among the average concentrations of metals in plant tissues and most values exceeded the normal concentration range. Based on the comparative analysis of heavy metals content, translocation and bioconcentration factors in plants, Aizoon canariense L, Hirschfeldia incana (L.) L. Fossat, Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrader and Peganum harmala L had a high accumulation ability and showed a remarkable phytoremediation potential which could be identified as promising candidates for phytoremediation techniques.

Fractional composition of nickel compounds in soil and its accumulation in plants in application of growth promoting rhizosphere bacteriaon heavy metal-contaminated soil

Impact of genus Pseudomonas bacteria on fractional composition of nickel compounds in artificially contaminated agro-gray soil and yield of spring wheat was studied in pot experiment. Plants were grown up to booting stage with NiCl2·6H2O contamination at a rate of 300 Ni/kg of soil against background of NPK fertilization. Distribution of nickel in soil fractions isolated by the method of successive selective extractions has been established. Nickel content in plants after combustion in mixture of HNO3:HClO4 (2:1)and in soil fractions was determined by inductively coupled plasma emission-optical spectrometry. Application of bacteria increased plant resistance to elevated nickel concentration and increased yield, significantly reducing heavy metal phytotoxicity. Bacteria increased nickel content in exchangeable and specifically sorbed fractions and, to a lesser extent, in fractions associated with organic matter and ferruginous minerals, and reduced metal content in residual fraction. Bacteria increased nickel uptake from soil by plant shoots due to increase in yield, without changes or increase in plant metal content. Thus, bacteria increased phytoextraction - cleaning soil from heavy metal. Nickel uptake by plants was increased due to increase in its bioavailability, mainly in exchangeable and specifically sorbed fractions.

ВМІСТ ВАЖКИХ МЕТАЛІВ ВЕГЕТАТИВНОЇ ЧАСТИНИ РУДЕРАЛЬНИХ РОСЛИН У ЗВ’ЯЗКУ З УМОВАМИ ЗРОСТАННЯ ЗАБРУДНЕННЯ

The study of the features of the accumulation of heavy metals in plants in the conditions of polluted territories is an important practical direction on the way to the optimization of nature use in order to improve the state of the environment.
 The content of heavy metals in the vegetative part of ruderal plants growing in the valley of the Zbruch River, in the zone of influence of the municipal landfill of Volochysk, Khmelnytskyi Region, was studied. A comparative analysis of the obtained data with the results of research on the content of heavy metals in plants from different types of natural ecosystems was carried out.
 The high content of metals in plants directly reflects the consequences of anthropogenic influence on the biotic component of the natural environment. Accumulation of chemical elements occurs in the area of reduced topography due to runoff of surface and ground water.
 It was found that the content of heavy metals in Achillea millefolium L. and Taraxacum officinale Wigg is higher than in plants from the compared natural ecosystems, and in Plantago major L. it is approximately the same. The identified features are promising for the use of these two types of plants as phytoremediators of the polluted environment.

MODELLING Cd, Cu, and Pb PHYTOAVAILABILITY BY Ricinus communis FROM SOIL AMENDED WITH MANURE AND CHELANTS

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the response of Ricinus communis under the influence of poultry manure and chelants (single and binary) in soils with Cd, Cu and Pb. The results show that pH was in the range of; (5.51-6.99), while the organic matter was (8.14-15.6). The Cd, Cu and Pb which are the soil total metal QT (mg kg–1), plant-available metals Qe (mg kg–1), and metal concentration in R.communis biomass, Qp (mg kg–1) were; (510.2-592.9), (502.7- 569.7), (505.9-589.2); (455.2-483.8), (461.1-481.5) (461.2-480.5) and (283.5-469.8),(242.4-475.5),(379.9-490.6) respectively. Step wise multivariate regression model technique was used to determine possible factors affecting metal uptake and for predicting metal concentrations in plant. The R2 values for Cd, Cu and Pb was in the range of 0.881≤ R2 ≤0.980 for model I, 0.969 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.998 for model II, and 0.981 ≤ R2≤ 0.999 for model III respectively, across the experimental soils. These high R2 values for the models clearly showed the dependent variable agreeable and the relationship significant. The findings are useful in the assessment R. communis potential for heavy metal reclamation with the goal of hazard mitigation and resource supply.

Estimation of phytoextraction potential of selected halophytes for accumulation of heavy metals from wetland saline soil

The phytoremediation is a significant natural clean-up process for removal of heavy metals from wetland saline soils (WS) for the sustainable environmental pollution control. Therefore, the phytoremediation potential of Typha domingensis (southern cattail) and Phragmites australis (common reed) has been evaluated for absorption and accumulation of salts and heavy metals growing at two sites of WS samples coded as BS1 and BS2 (“BS” the soil that is not adjoining to root of plants) in Hyderabad Sindh, Pakistan. The three parts (root, stems, and leaves) of both Plants were obtained from several of locations oxidized the matrices of each part of plants and the corresponding soil samples using acid mixture. A variety of techniques were used to identify the metals by atomic absorption spectrometry. The average values of heavy metals, Co, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn in BS1 and BS2 were found to be (8.53, 14.4, 8.88, 64.3, 13.3, and 142) and (12.4, 18.2, 13.6, 89.4, 14.4, and 124) µg/g, respectively. The data of bioconcentration (BCF) and translocation factors (TF) of the research showed that the studied halophytes showed a high accumulation potential (> 1) for heavy metals from WS. The metal content in plants and rhizospheric soil have a strong relationship (p < 0.01). The screening data based on classical methods and GC–MS indicated that the studied phyto extractants have many phytochemicals. These phytochemicals may have the capability to accumulate heavy metals from contaminated soils. The roots and their rhizospheric soil (RS1 and RS2) have a highly significant relationship of accumulation potential with the selected heavy metals (RS is soil adjoining to roots of plants) (p < 0.01). These halophytes are able to remove heavy metals directly from salty metal-contaminated soil in wetland environments.

Effects of intercropping on safe agricultural production and phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils

Intercropping with hyperaccumulators is believed to be an important and efficient way to achieve simultaneous safe agricultural production and phytoremediation of polluted soils. However, some studies have suggested that this technique might facilitate the uptake of heavy metals by crops. To investigate the effects of intercropping on the heavy metal contents of plants and soil, data from 135 global studies were collected and analyzed by meta-analysis. The results showed that intercropping could significantly reduce the contents of heavy metals in the main plants and soils. Plant species was the main factor that affected plant and soil metal contents in the intercropping system, and the heavy metal content could be significantly reduced when members of the Poaceae and Crassulaceae were used as main plants or when legumes were used as intercropped plants. Among all the intercropped plants, the best one for removing heavy metals from the soil was a Crassulaceae hyperaccumulator. These results not only highlight the main factors affecting intercropping systems but also provide reliable reference information for the practice of safe agricultural production coupled with phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated farmland.

Evaluation of soil heavy metals pollution and the phytoremediation potential of copper-nickel mine tailings ponds.

Heavy metal pollution in soils caused by mining has led to major environmental problems around the globe and seriously threatens the ecological environment. The assessment of heavy metal pollution and the local phytoremediation potential of contaminated sites is an important prerequisite for phytoremediation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand the characteristics of heavy metal pollution around a copper-nickel mine tailings pond and screen local plant species that could be potentially suitable for phytoremediation. The results showed that Cd, Cu, Ni, and Cr in the soil around the tailings pond were at the heavy pollution level, Mn and Pb pollution was moderate, and Zn and As pollution was light; The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model results showed that the contributions made by industrial pollution to Cu and Ni were 62.5% and 66.5%, respectively, atmospheric sedimentation and agricultural pollution contributions to Cr and Cd were 44.6% and 42.8%, respectively, the traffic pollution contribution to Pb was 41.2%, and the contributions made by natural pollution sources to Mn, Zn, and As were 54.5%, 47.9%, and 40.0% respectively. The maximum accumulation values for Cu, Ni, Cr, Cd, and As in 10 plants were 53.77, 102.67, 91.10, 1.16 and 7.23 mg/kg, respectively, which exceeded the normal content of heavy metals in plants. Ammophila breviligulata Fernald had the highest comprehensive extraction coefficient (CEI) and comprehensive stability coefficient (CSI) at 0.81 and 0.83, respectively. These results indicate that the heavy metal pollution in the soil around the copper nickel mine tailings pond investigated in this study is serious and may affect the normal growth of plants. Ammophila breviligulata Fernald has a strong comprehensive remediation capacity and can be used as a remediation plant species for multiple metal compound pollution sites.

Investigation of Heavy Metal Contents in Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Sold in Bingöl Herbalists

Objective: In our country, which is rich in medicinal plant diversity, there is an increase in heavy metal accumulation with the increase of industrial development and environmental pollution. The aim is to evaluate the health safety of heavy metal content of thyme and ginger plants, which are frequently used for therapeutic purposes, sold in herbalists. Methods: In this study, heavy metal (Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Hg, Pb) levels in thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) plant samples obtained from three different herbalists in Bingöl were determined by ICP-MS. Results: Fe, Zn, Cd and Pb levels in both thyme and ginger samples, Cr levels in thyme samples and Cu levels in ginger samples were above the safe limit values for health. In the thyme and ginger samples, Co, Ni, Cr levels in ginger samples and As levels in thyme samples were found to be in the safe range for health Conclusion: As a result; it is noteworthy that some heavy metals in medicinal plants used for therapeutic purposes in this study are above the recommended critical levels. Considering the possibility of exposure to heavy metals while consuming medicinal plants, regular monitoring of heavy metal concentrations in plants is important in order to minimize the risks that may adversely affect human health

The Effect of Sludge-Ash Granulates on the Content and Uptake of Heavy Metals by Winter Rape Seeds and Triticale

Four granulates were prepared from waste, including lignite ash, industrial sludge, sawdust, ammonium nitrate and potassium salt (60% K2O). The produced granulates were chemically tested. They contained significant Ca and C organic contents and slightly less S, P, K and Mg. The concentration of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn did not exceed the applicable standards. Then, they were tested in a experiment with 2 plants: spring rape, Larissa cv., and spring triticale, Milikaro cv. The content of the tested heavy metals in rape seed and triticale grain largely depended on the chemical properties and the amount of components used to produce granulates. As a rule, a higher share of industrial sludge and a lower share of lignite ash (granulates II with industrial sludge 40% and IV with industrial sludge 50%) in the granulates increased the content of heavy metals in the test plants. Applying the 2nd and 3rd doses of granulates increased the contents of cadmium, copper, chromium, nickel, lead, and zinc. Increasing doses of granulates significantly increased the uptake of heavy metals by rape seed and triticale grain. Under the influence of applied fertilizer granulates, the content of heavy metals in rape seeds and triticale grain was significantly positively correlated with their uptake.

РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ МОНИТОРИНГА СОДЕРЖАНИЯ ТЯЖЕЛЫХ МЕТАЛЛОВ В ПОЧВЕ, РАСТЕНИЯХ И СНЕЖНОМ ПОКРОВЕ ВБЛИЗИ АВТОМОБИЛЬНЫХ ТРАСС НА РАЗЛИЧНОМ УДАЛЕНИИ ОТ ГОРОДА УЛЬЯНОВСКА

Studies to study the contamination of agricultural landscapes with heavy metals were carried out in Ulyanovsk region. The materials for the research were soils, plants and snow cover, sampling of which was carried out near highways in different directions and distances (5 km, 10 km and 15 km) from the city of Ulyanovsk. In the east direction from the city, a pattern of increasing the content of Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Ni in the soil (gross and mobile form), plants and snow cover was traced. In soil samples, Zn was the most mobile, the amount of which (mobile form) varied from 7.0 to 10.7 mg/kg, the content of mobile compounds Cu, Pb, Cd, Ni did not change significantly. In 5 km (east of Ulyanovsk), the maximum values for the content of heavy metals in plants were found for Zn – 27.8 mg/kg; Cu – 18.9 mg/kg; Pb – 0.62 mg/kg; Cd – 0.30 mg/kg, Ni – 0.87mg/kg of dry matter, there was no excess of MDU it was established in none of the observation sites. A direct dependence of the cadmium content in plants on its content in soils was noted, with an increase in the content in the soil (5.9 mg/kg), its content in plants increased to 0.30 mg/kg. The content of Zn, Cu, Ni at all snow collection points is significantly lower than the MPC. The excess of the MPC was recorded at almost all sampling points in terms of Pb and Cd content by 2.0...7.0 times.

Typha latifolia resilience to high metal stress: Antioxidant response in plants from mine and flotation tailing ponds

Typha latifolia (cattail) forms natural stands in the transition zone of artificial flotation and mine tailings ponds and is contaminated with extremely high concentrations of metals. We assessed the absorption capacity of the plant, metal transfer to leaves, and the effects of elevated metal concentrations on antioxidant enzyme activities. Soil acidity, the pseudototal and available metal content of the substrate, and metal concentrations in plants were examined. The effects of elevated metal concentrations in plants on antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, glutathione reductase) were assessed. Cattails exhibited high metal accumulation levels in roots and a low transfer rate to the leaves. The effects of metal concentrations on antioxidant enzyme activities were found to depend on the type of enzyme, metal concentrations in the plant and their molar ratios, as well as on the pH of the substrate. High activities of antioxidant enzymes indicate increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and show that metal detoxification mechanisms are insufficient to restrain their toxicity. Pronounced resistance to elevated metal concentrations and high efficiency in metal phytostabilization show that cattail could be a valuable component of biological treatment systems for removing metals from multi-metal and heavily contaminated substrates in the pH range from ultra-acidic to neutral.

Phytostabilization Potential of Salix alba as Biomonitors of Heavy Metals in Soil Pollution near the Erzeni Riverbank

The great sources of water pollution in Albania in the last decade are urban discharges which indicate in other sistems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of heavy metals in the soil and plant of Salix alba. Samples was collected from the Erzen riverbed. The objectives are based on assessment of the concentrations of physico-chemical characteristics heavy metals obtained from the sediment and willow (Salix alba) in Erzeni river. The presence of organic matter in soil - the willow plant - was also analyzed. The use of plants in the recuperation of contaminated soil is low cost, sustainable, and environmentally sound. Heavy metals concentration in soil range as follows: Ni (42.2–98.4 mg/kg); Cr (18.9- 34.5 mg/kg), and Pb (53.2-98.4 mg/kg). Some statistically significant differences were observed in the data on the amounts of metals accumulated in the soil, significantly more than in the data on the metal concentrations achieved in the tissues of the Salix alba plant. Heavy metal concentration in plants reach values Ni (0.9–3.54 mg/kg); Cr (0.57 - 0.89 mg/kg), and Pb (0.06 -0.19 mg/kg). Average concentrations in heavy metal plant samples were listed in the order Ni&gt; Cr&gt; Pb. The results of nickel, chromium, and lead clearly show higher concentrations in samples 0-25 cm across the range of extractors. The use of diversified plant materials is essential and optimal for the phytoremediation process. These species offer different opportunities through their metallic tolerance and accumulation of underground biomass metals for the permanent removal of these metals from the terrestrial substrate.

Concentration of heavy metals in leachate, soil, and plants in Tehran’s landfill: Investigation of the effect of landfill age on the intensity of pollution

Heavy metals are one of the important pollutants in landfill leachate. Plants and soil near the landfill may be contaminated by leachate. In this study, by evaluating the heavy metals in the leachate of two landfills and the soil and plants near them, the amount of pollution caused by the leachate in the environment around the landfills in Tehran was investigated. This study was conducted in three stations, soil and plant samples were prepared according to a specific protocol. Also, three indexes including PI, PINemerow, and BF were used to interpret the results. The results showed that the concentration of total metals in the old landfill leachate and new landfill leachate was only 12% different and was 24.13 mg/L on average. In the new landfill leachate, iron had the highest concentration among metals, which was 22.94 and 17.01 mg/L in two samples. In the old landfill leachate, the concentration of manganese was 15.71 mg/L, which was the highest among the studied metals. The concentration of heavy metals in the soil of the old landfill was 24.6% lower than the concentration of metals in the soil of the new landfill. In all samples, the highest metal concentration in the soil was related to manganese, which was 33.65–34.14 mg/L. Cadmium had the lowest concentration in soil compared to other metals. The concentration of total metals in the studied plants was 29–60 ppm. The PInemerow for studied stations was 0.1711, 0.1708, and 0.1463. The highest PI in the case of lead was observed at the second station equal to 0.54. The highest BF in case of Atriplex Undulata was more than 6 and related to cadmium, while the highest BF in case of Atriplex Cinearea was more than 3.5 related to cadmium. This study showed that the soil and plants of the landfill were contaminated with heavy metals under the influence of leachate, and the ability of plants to uptake and accumulate metals can be used to manage soil pollution near the landfill.

BEHAVIOR OF HEAVY METALS IN SOIL-CONDENSATE-PLANTS SYSTEM IN THE ULAN-UDE LANDFILLS

The impact of waste dumps on environmental components, i.e., soil, evaporating soil water (condensate) and plants is studied. It has been revealed that industrial and municipal waste dumps continue to affect significantly the environment after their closure. The behavior of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd, Co, Sb, Sn, Bi, Hg, and Cr) in soils, plants, and condensate in landfill areas and beyond them (the background) has been studied in detail. It has been found out that soils, plants and condensate at landfills are enriched in heavy metals as compared to the background sites. The degree of soil contamination at waste dumps depends on the reclamation stage of the latter. The landfill soils exceed the norms of maximum permissible concentrations for heavy metals by 1.1–90 times. Concentrations of heavy metals in plants exceed the background values from 1.1 to 104 times at all dumps. The maximum level of heavy metals in plants is exceeded for Zn, Cd, Cr. In the condensate sampled at the dumps, MPC is exceeded for Cu, Zn, and Hg. Based on the analysis results, the geochemical rows of heavy metal distribution in different landfill environments were compiled: in plants – Zn Cu Cr Ni Pb Cd Co Hg Sn Bi; in condensate – Zn Cu Ni Cr Pb Sn Co Hg Sb Cd Bi; in the soil – Zn Cr Cu Ni Pb Co Sb = Sn Cd. The distribution of heavy metals in the condensate and plants is similar. In these environments, contribution of Zn and Cu is more than 80%, contribution of Cr, Ni, Pb varies from 1 to 10%; contribution of Cd, Co, Sb, Sn, Bi, Hg is less than 1%. Heavy metals are distributed in soil according to a different pattern: the main contributors are Zn and Cr (their input is more than 50%), then go Ni, Cu, Co, and Pb (their content in soil varies from 1 to 50%), followed by Sb, Sn, and Cd (their content is less than 1%). Total pollution indices (Zc) of the soil, condensate and plants have been calculated for each landfill. Based on Zc, the landfills were grouped in a ranking series, which can form the basis for assigning the sequence of landfill reclamation measures.

Investigating the urban land pollution level according to the bioindicator properties of plants

In this article, the bioindicator properties of Taraxacum officinale, a common plant in urban areas, are studied. The existence of a correlation between the environment and the content of heavy metals in plants determines the use of plants as indicators of natural and anthropogenic landscapes. The existence of a relationship between the amount of heavy metals in the environment and plants determines their use as indicators of pollution of natural and anthropogenic landscapes. Plant organisms are recognized as adequate bioindicators of environmental quality. It is T. officinale that is suitable for identification and has adequate response to changes in environmental conditions. As a bioindicator, plants in urban and industrial areas are used for biomonitoring. In our scientific research, the use of T. officinale species as a bioindicator of atmospheric and soil pollution was investigated for the first time in the conditions of Uzbekistan. In order to determine the accumulation of some heavy metals in the observation areas, the correlation of climate, soil and plant indicators was determined using mathematical analysis methods.

Red Amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) Irrigated with Domestic Sewage Wastewater as a Source of Irrigation: Environmental Food Security and Safety Assessment Perspectives through Acute and Sub- Acute Toxicity Study

Water deficiency is one of the main factors for limiting sustainable agricultural development in most arid and semi-arid regions. There is a gradual decline in the availability of fresh water to be used for irrigation in developing countries like India. Sewage farming is quite common in all urban areas in India. The effect of its direct and long-term use for irrigation needs a thorough study. However, there is increasing concern about food safety and health risks, hence, a case study was undertaken to understand the long-term effect of domestic sewage wastewater irrigation on heavy metal concentrations in soil and plants. The study reveals the mineral and heavy metal composition of irrigated domestic sewage wastewater and it has been compared with the well water irrigated in the rural area, soil parameters and also the mineral and heavy metal composition of a cultivated plant, Amaranthus tricolor L. Transfer factor (TF) was calculated to understand the extent of risk and associated hazard due to wastewater irrigation and the consequence of heavy metals accumulation in the edible portion of experimented vegetables. The present study was carried out to assess the potential toxicity of acetone extract of A. tricolor with some essential parameters such as haematological and biochemical parameters, liver and kidney weight and their histopathological study. After conducting in vivo acute and subchronic toxicity experiments using the rat model, there was no toxicity or mortality observed between domestic sewage water and well water irrigated to red amaranth, A. tricolor.

Prediction Models Based on Soil Characteristics for Evaluation of the Accumulation Capacity of Nine Metals by Forage Sorghum Grown in Agricultural Soils Treated with Varying Amounts of Poultry Manure.

Predictive models were generated to evaluate the degree to which nine metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were absorbed by the leaves, stems and roots of forage sorghum in growing media comprising soil admixed with poultry manure concentrations of 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40g/kg. The data revealed that the greatest contents of the majority of the metals were evident in the roots rather than in the stems and leaves. A bioaccumulation factor (BAF) < 1 was calculated for Cr, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn; BAF values for Co, Cu, Mn and Cd were 3.99, 2.33, 1.44 and 1.40, respectively, i.e., > 1. Translocation factor values were < 1 for all metals with the exception of Co, Cr and Ni, which displayed values of 1.20, 1.67 and 1.35 for the leaves, and 1.12, 1.23 and 1.24, respectively, for the stems. The soil pH had a negative association with metal tissues in plant parts. A positive relationship was observed with respect to plant metal contents, electrical conductivity and organic matter quantity. The designed models exhibited a high standard of data precision; any variations between the predicted and experimentally observed contents for the nine metals in the three plant tissue components were nonsignificant. Thus, it was concluded that the presented predictive models constitute a pragmatic tool to establish the safety from risk to human well-being with respect to growing forage sorghum when cultivating media fortified with poultry manure.

The concentration of heavy metals in the energy crops phytomass when grown in the conditions of Zhytomyr Polissia

The high level of anthropogenic pressure on agro-landscapes recently leads to an increased level of their contamination with heavy metals, which are among the most harmful chemical pollutants for the environment. Heavy metals are transmitted through trophic chains with a pronounced cumulative effect, in connection with which their toxicity can appear suddenly on individual links of trophic chains. The danger from heavy metals is determined by the fact that, unlike organic pollutants, they do not break down, but change from one form to another. Based on the results of the study, it was established that the accumulation of heavy metals by energy plants depended on the type of crop. Thus, it was proved that the concentration of heavy metals in energy crops plants when grown in the territory of radioactive contamination was within the limit of permissible concentrations. The lowest concentration of toxicants was noted when all energy crops were grown without fertilizers. The subject of the study was energy crops (Silhium perfoliatum L., Sorghum almum Parodi, Bunias orientalis L., Sida hermaphrodita Rusby, Miscanthus giganteus G.), heavy metals in plants, sod-podzolic sandy soil, mineral fertilizers. Therefore, the purpose of our research was to determine the phytomass of energy crops grown in areas contaminated with radionuclides as a result of the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant to determine the concentration of toxic substances. When performing the work, both general and special research methods were used: field – for conducting stationary and short-term field experiments, analytical – for determining the content of heavy metals in plants crops (Silhium perfoliatum L., Sorghum almum Parodi, Bunias orientalis L., Sida hermaphrodita Rusby, Miscanthus giganteus G.). The research was conducted during 2017−2020 on sod-podzolic soils in the territory of the village. Khrystynivka, Zhytomyr region, which belongs to the zone of unconditional (mandatory) resettlement (2nd zone of radioactive contamination). Prospects for further research will be aimed at establishing patterns of distribution of heavy metals in soil layers when growing energy crops. Key words: Silhium perfoliatum L., Sorghum almum Parodi, Bunias orientalis L., Sida hermaphrodita Rusby, Miscanthus giganteus G., lead, cadmium, copper, zinc.

Heavy metal (Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) contents of endemic Salvia halophila plants around Lake Tuz

Heavy metals occur naturally in ecosystems at varying concentrations. However, heavy metal sources that have emerged in present-day mainly due to human influence, i.e. industrial activities, agricultural waste, pesticides, use of fossil fuels and traffic, have included a part of heavy metals in the ecosystem. Lake Tuz, together with the entire lake surroundings, water beds and important steppe areas, was declared Turkey’s Specially Protected Area (SPA) in 2001. Our aim in this investigation was to determine the levels of heavy metals such as Chrome (Cr), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) in endemic Salvia halophila grown in different areas of Lake Tuz. The results of the heavy metal contents analyzed at the plant were compared with the international standard levels of heavy metals. The consequences displayed that differing extents of heavy metals are accumulated in S. halophila. The results obtained differed in accordance with the collection time and localities. When the outcomes are appraised, it is achievable to say that Pb is higher than the standard values. The findings of this investigation are the first reported results for this endemic S. halophila species that grows naturally at Lake Tuz and are important as they are newly discovered results.

Assessment of heavy metal accumulation potential of aquatic plants for bioindication and bioremediation of aquatic environment.

This study is devoted to assessing the potential for accumulating heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) of nine species of aquatic and coastal plants growing in the water area of the Okhta River (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation). The list of studied species included the following: hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum L.), water soldier (Stratiotes aloides L.), yellow water-lily (Nuphar lutea (L.) Sm.), arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia L.), broadleaf cattail (Typha latifolia L.), water arum (Calla palustris L.), acute sedge (Carex acuta L.), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.), and meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim.). The values of the bioconcentration factor for particular plant tissues were calculated. It has been established that the concentrations of metals in plant tissues can be thousands and tens of thousands of times higher than their content in water. At the same time, the ability of plants to accumulate metals varies greatly and depends on a number of factors, such as environmental conditions, the growing season, the type and ecological group of the plant.The study also attempts to determine the spatial and temporal dynamics of the content of heavy metals in higher aquatic plants. The main difficulties in data interpretation are indicated. The data obtained show the different significance of the study macrophyte species both for bioindication purposes and for use in wastewater treatment. The possibility of using such species as Sagittaria sagittifolia L., Typha latifolia L., Ceratophyllum demersum L., and Calla palustris L. for bioremediation is substantiated.