Heavy metals and arsenic phytoavailability index in pioneer plants from a semipermanent natural wetland

The total concentration of Pb, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, and As in mining-impacted soils and pioneer plants from a semi-permanent natural wetland was determined by X-ray fluorescence. Results showed that the maximum values in soil were Fe>Zn>Pb>Mn>As>Cu and in plants were Zn>Pb>As>Cu, and Mn and Fe were found in variable concentrations. Bouteloa repens showed the highest translocation factor (TF) for all heavy metals, and the highest phytoavailability index (PI) for Fe, Cu, As, and Mn. However, Typha dominguensis was the plant species with the most elevated bioconcentration factor (BCF) for Mn and Fe and PI for Pb and Zn, while Cyperus manimae showed the maximum BCF for As, Pb, and Cu, and the highest PI for Mn. For Eleocharis ovata the maximum BCF and PI were for Zn and As, respectively. The PI indicates the availability of heavy metals and As in the environment and their bioaccumulation in plants. The plant species reported in this study are pioneer plants that can easily become established due to their environmental resilience and physiologic characteristics. This study shows that B. repens and T. dominguensis are species that translocate heavy metals and accumulate them in their various organs, and therefore, these plants are suggested as good candidates for phytostabilization in similar semipermanent natural wetlands. (C) 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers