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Plant parts of the apple tree (Malus spp.) as possible indicators of heavy metal pollution

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Abstract

The content of Cu, Zn, Pb, As, Cd, and Ni was determined by ICP-OES in spatial soil and parts (root, branches, leaves, and fruit) of the apple tree (Malus spp.) from polluted sites near The Mining and Smelting Complex Bor (Serbia). The aim of this study was to examine if the obtained results can be used for biomonitoring purposes. Data recorded in plant parts, especially leaves, gave very useful information about the environmental state of the Bor region. Conveniently, these data described well the capability of investigated plant species to assimilate and tolerate severely high concentrations of heavy metals in its tissues, which may further allow the possibility for utilization of the apple tree for phytostabilization.

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Acknowledgments

Authors acknowledge financial support of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Serbia for financial support (Project No. 172047).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, Nis, 18000, Serbia

    Snežana Tošić & Aleksandra Pavlović

  2. Technical Faculty Bor, University of Belgrade, Vojske Jugoslavije 12, Bor, 19210, Serbia

    Slađana Alagić, Mile Dimitrijević & Maja Nujkić

Authors
  1. Snežana Tošić
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  2. Slađana Alagić
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  3. Mile Dimitrijević
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  4. Aleksandra Pavlović
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  5. Maja Nujkić
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Snežana Tošić.

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Tošić, S., Alagić, S., Dimitrijević, M. et al. Plant parts of the apple tree (Malus spp.) as possible indicators of heavy metal pollution. Ambio 45, 501–512 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-015-0742-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-015-0742-9

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