Phytoremediation of heavy metal (Lead, Zinc and Cadmium) from polluted soils by Arasbaran protected area native plants

Subject Areas : Farm water management with the aim of improving irrigation management indicators

Fatemeh Akbarpour Saraskanroud ¹ , Farhad Sadri ² , Dariush Golalizadeh ³

1 - M. Sc. of Chemistry & Fertility Soil, College of Agriculture, Tabriz University, Tabriz. Iran
2 - PhD Student, Science & Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 - M.Sc. Graduated, Department of Environment, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2011-07-24 Accepted : 2012-05-19 Published : 2012-09-02

Keywords: Amaranthus retroflexus, Agropyron repens, Arabis arenosa, Heavy Metals, Phytoremediation, Remediation, soil,

Abstract :

Heavy metals are the most important soil and environmental pollutants. Phytoremedation is one of the environmental oriented technologies that use plants to clean up contaminated soils from heavy metals. The objective of this study was to assess the capability of some native plants to phytoextract some heavy metals from the contaminated soils. Consequently, after preparing and stabilization of the contaminated soils, the seeds of some native plants (Arabis arenosa, Amaranthus retroflexus, Agropyron repens) were seeded, grown and harvested in a designed pot experiment. The soil and plant samples were taken and dried out in an oven at 85 Qc for 48 hours. The mean concentration of each heavy metal in the samples was determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry apparatus. The results indicated that Pb and Cd concentration in plant roots were more than shoots. Lead concentration in plant underground portion and Zinc concentration in aboveground portion were higher. The results further indicated that the maximum Zinc concentration in Agropyron repens aboveground portion was 262.65 Mgkg-1 and the maximum Pb concentration in amaranthus retrofleus underground portion was 71.25 Mgkg-1. From the plant extraction of this study we discovered that pb and cd concentration in soils are considered to become higher in root than shoots of plants. Pb concentration in underground portion and zinc concentration in aboveground portion is higher. Finding of this research show that Zinc concentration maximum in Agropyron repens aboveground portion is 262.65 mgkg-1 and Pb concentration maximum in Amaranthus retroflexus underground portion is 71.25 mgkg-1 .