A study on bioaccumulation and translocation of toxic metals in different species of medicinal and aromatic plants

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate, in a laboratory study, the accumulation of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb) in the root, stem, leaves and flowers of some aromatic and medicinal plants grown on polluted soils. To carry out these experiments, the seeds of different plant species (Mentha piperita, Sinapis alba, Satureja hortensis and Thymus serpyllum) were planted in a mini-greenhouse, in universal soil (unpolluted). The seedlings thus obtained were transferred to pots containing soils polluted with metals (As, Cd, Ni and Pb) in different concentrations and combinations. The experiments were carried out over a period of three months. The concentration of metals in different plant organs (root, stem, leaves, flowers) was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. (ICP-OES). The accumulation of metals in plants was evaluated by calculating the translocation factor (TF) and the bioaccumulation factor (BCF).