Response of spontaneous plants from an ex-mining site of Elba island (Tuscany, Italy) to metal(loid) contamination

Abstract

The release of large amounts of toxic metals in the neighboring sites of abandoned mine areas represents an important environmental risk for the ecosystem, because it adversely affects soil, water, and plant growth. The aim of the present study was to investigate the metal(loid) (As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) contents of native Mediterranean plants grown on the ex-mining area of Elba island (Italy), with the prospective of its recovery by further phytoremediation technology. Soil samples were collected and characterized for metal(loid) content in total and potentially available (EDTA-extractable) fractions. Arsenic was particularly high, being 338 and 2.1 mg kg⁻¹ as total and available fractions, respectively. Predominant native species, namely Dittrichia viscosa L. Greuter, Cistus salviifolius L., Lavandula stoechas L., and Bituminaria bituminosa L., were analyzed for metal content in the different plant organs. D. viscosa exhibited the highest metal(loid) content in the leaves and the singular behavior of translocating arsenic to the leaves (transfer factor about 2.06 and mean bioconcentration factor about 12.48). To assess the healthy status of D. viscosa plants, the leaves were investigated further. The activities of the main antioxidant enzymes and the levels of secondary metabolites linked to oxidative stress in plants from the ex-mining area were not significantly different from those of control plants, except for a lower content of carotenoids, indicating that native plants were adapted to grow in these polluted soils. These results indicate that D. viscosa can be suitable for the revegetation of highly metal-contaminated areas.

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