Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Plants near Mining and Non-Mining Areas

Abstract

Plants take heavy metals from soil through different reactions. In the present study, heavy metals concentration in leaves and soil of few common plants like Bougainvillea glabra, Delonix regia and Azadirachta indica in mining and non-mining area has been determined. Effect of air pollution and metal content in soil on metal uptake by plant leaves has been done. Metals are present at higher concentration level in soil and leaves of mining area as compared to non-mining area. Metals are present well within the normal range in leaves of the three plants of non-mining area. Cr concentration in leaves of plants in mining area has been found above the normal range. Cu and Pb concentration in leaves of Gulmohar and Neem has also been found above the normal range in mining area. But the high concentration of metals did not show any symptoms of phytotoxicity in plants of mining area.