Title : The effect of industrial aerosol emissions on the heavy metals content and distribution in herbaceous plants
Abstract:
The territory of southern Russia warrants special attention, because this region is the largest producer of agricultural crops and a large industrial center. The close neighborhood of agriculture and industry poses some environmental problems, including the environmental pollution with heavy metals. Under increasing anthropogenic impact, the research of heavy metals content and distribution in plants is very important.
The aim of this study was the assessment of Cd, Pb, and Zn accumulation by different herbaceous species of the families Poaceae and Asteraceae and soils on the technogenic areas around Power station. The investigation has been carried out on the monitoring plots on the areas around Novocherkassk Power Station (Rostov region, South of Russia). The long-term monitoring observations has been initiated in 2000. Soil and plant samples were taken annually in the second decade of June. Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Achillea nobilis L., Artemisia austriaca Jaqc., Tanacetum vulgare L., Elytrigia repens L., and Cichorium intybus L. were studied.
The results of the 17-year-long monitoring studies showed that the high level of anthropogenic load related to the atmospheric emissions from the Power Station aggravates the accumulation of heavy metals in herbaceous plants. The increasing of all studied HM concentrations in the wild plants growing within 5 km from the Power Station along the predominant wind direction was investigated. Contamination with Pb, and Cd is revealed in plants growing near the Power Station. Correlation between the accumulation of metals in different herbaceous plant species and the distance from the emission source is revealed. The metals accumulation and distribution in the aboveground organs and roots vary among the herbaceous plants species. The main factor of the heavy metals distribution is the individual physiological features. Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Artemisia austriaca, Achillea nobilis, and Tanacetum vulgare have the highest amounts of metals in their aboveground organs under technogenic contamination.
