Accumulation of Arsenic by Plants Growing in the Sites Strongly Contaminated by Historical Mining in the Sudetes Region of Poland

Agnieszka Dradrach, Anna Karczewska, Katarzyna Szopka and Karolina Lewińska
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Agnieszka Dradrach: Institute of Agroecology and Plant Production, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, pl. Grunwaldzki 24a, 50-350 Wrocław, Poland
Anna Karczewska: Institute of Soil Science and Environmental Protection, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, ul. Grunwaldzka 53, 50-357 Wrocław, Poland
Katarzyna Szopka: Institute of Soil Science and Environmental Protection, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, ul. Grunwaldzka 53, 50-357 Wrocław, Poland
Karolina Lewińska: Department of Soil Science and Remote Sensing of Soils, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, ul. Krygowskiego 10, 61-680 Poznań, Poland

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: The uptake of As by various plants growing in highly enriched sites was examined in order to identify potential As accumulators and to assess the risk associated with As presence in plant shoots. Representative samples of 13 plant species, together with soil samples, were collected from various sites affected by historical As mining: mine and slag dumps, tailings and contaminated soils with As concentrations in a range 72–193,000 mg/kg. Potentially and actually soluble As forms, extracted with 0.43 M HNO 3 and, 1M NH 4 NO 3 were examined in relation to As concentrations in plant roots and shoots. The latter differed strongly among the species and within them and were in the ranges 2.3–9400 mg/kg and 0.5–509 mg/kg, respectively. The majority (over 66%) of plant samples had As shoot concentrations above 4 mg/kg, an upper safe limit for animal fodder. The uptake of As by plants correlated well with total and extractable soil As, though As concentrations in plants could not be predicted based on soil parameters. Equisetum spp. and C. epigejos indicated a particularly strong accumulation of As in shoots, while A. capillaris , and H. lanatus showed a limited As root-to-shoot transfer, apparently associated with species-related tolerance to As.

Keywords: arsenic; accumulation; extractability; translocation factor; bioaccumulation factor; bioconcentration factor (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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