Assessment of mineral nutrients and risk elements in plants growing on soils polluted by magnesite emissions

Margita Kuklová, Ján Kukla, Jana Luptáková, František Hnilička and Tomáš Rýgl
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Margita Kuklová: Institute of Forest Ecology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovak Republic
Ján Kukla: Institute of Forest Ecology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovak Republic
Jana Luptáková: National Forest Centre - Central Forestry Laboratory, Zvolen, Slovak Republic
František Hnilička: Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Tomáš Rýgl: Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic

Plant, Soil and Environment, 2026, vol. 72, issue 2, 77-86

Abstract: Changes in the content of mineral nutrients (Ca, Mg, K, Na) and risk elements (Mn, Cd) in the assimilatory organs of selected plant species were studied along the altitudinal gradient of A‒D zones polluted by alkaline emissions from the magnesite factory Lubeník (Slovak Republic). Multivariate statistical analysis and comparison with background values in other studies demonstrate persistent intoxication of some plants by Mg (all study plants), K (Lactuca saligna, Dryopteris filix-mas), Mn (Quercus polycarpa, Carpinus betulus, Betula pendula, Lactuca saligna) and Cd (Quercus polycarpa, Carpinus betulus, Betula pendula, Lactuca saligna). Overall, Lactuca saligna accumulated the highest amounts of Mg, Cd, Na and K near the magnesite plant, suggesting its potential as an effective bioindicator of elemental pollution. Unbalanced Ca/Mg ratios, lower than 1, were recorded predominantly in all plant species sampled near the magnesite plant; unbalanced K/(Mg + Ca) ratios were predominantly in woody species.

Keywords: ecotoxicology; trees; herbs; macronutrients; toxic elements (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:72:y:2026:i:2:id:443-2025-pse

DOI: 10.17221/443/2025-PSE

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