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Quantification of potentially toxic elements in degraded mining soils and medicinal plants: a case study of Indus Kohistan region Northern Pakistan

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Abstract

In recent years, a series of environmental and ecological problems have occurred due to enhanced anthropogenic disturbances for precious mineral mining. Traditional medicines have become an important pillar in national homeopathic treatment system, especially in mountainous environment of developing countries. The current study investigated the level of potentially toxic elements’ (PTEs) contamination in degraded mining soils and medicinal plants along the mafic–ultramafic rocks in Kohistan region. Soil samples and medicinal plant species were collected from the degraded mining areas and screened for PTEs (Pb, Cr, Ni, Mn, Zn and Cd) using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS-Perkin-Elmer, 2380). Various pollution indices were used for PTEs such as contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI) and translocation factor (TF) in degraded mining soils and medicinal plants. The mean concentrations of selected PTEs in soil were in the order of Mn > Ni > Cr > Pb > Zn > Cd, while in medicinal plants the mean concentrations were in the following order: Pb > Cr > Mn > Ni > Zn > Cd. Highest bioaccumulation was observed in Ajuga bracteosa (Cr = 349 mg kg–1), Phlomis bracteosa (Pb = 335 mg kg–1), Chenopodium ambrosioides (Mn = 304.3 mg kg–1), Isatis costata (Ni = 169 mg kg–1), Ajuga parviflora (Zn = 38.4 mg kg–1) and Salvia moorcoftiana (Cd = 11 mg kg–1). Furthermore, the concentrations of PTEs were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in degraded mining soils and medicinal plants than the reference site, which may be attributed to the mining and open dumping of mining wastes. The present study reveals that chromite mining and open dumping of mining wastes can cause serious environmental problems in the study area. Furthermore, medicinal plants grown in degraded mining soils may pose risk to the local inhabitants as most of the people consume these plants for various health problems.

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Acknowledgements

The research work was supported by Hainan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (319MS008), National Nature Science Foundation of China (41571288), Research initiation fund of Hainan University (KYQD (ZR) 20032) and Pakistan Science Foundation under National Sciences Linkages Program Project No. (PSF/NSLP/KP-AWKUM (827)

Funding

The financial support was provided by Pakistan Science Foundation under project no. (PSF/NSLP 827 (AWKUM)).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health Convergence, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Kangwon-do, 24341, Republic of Korea

    Syed Wasim Sardar

  2. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

    Syed Aziz Ur Rehman

  3. Department of Environmental Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan

    Javed Nawab & Shams Ali Baig

  4. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Sardar Khan

  5. Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan

    Abid Ali & Muhammad Qayash Khan

  6. Department of Microbiology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan

    Zia Ur Rahman

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  1. Syed Wasim Sardar
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  2. Syed Aziz Ur Rehman
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  3. Javed Nawab
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  4. Sardar Khan
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  5. Abid Ali
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  7. Shams Ali Baig
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  8. Muhammad Qayash Khan
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Contributions

The first (SWS) and corresponding author (Dr. JN) were the major contributors in developing the idea and writing of this paper. While Dr. S, Dr. Abid, Dr. Zia, Dr. Aziz and Dr. M. Qayash help in lab, polishing, editing and preparing tables for this paper.

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Correspondence to Javed Nawab.

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Sardar, S.W., Rehman, S.A.U., Nawab, J. et al. Quantification of potentially toxic elements in degraded mining soils and medicinal plants: a case study of Indus Kohistan region Northern Pakistan. Environ Earth Sci 80, 641 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09927-6

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