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Heavy metal accumulation in the leaves of Potamogeton natans and Ceratophyllum demersum in a Himalayan RAMSAR site: management implications

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Abstract

Heavy metals have detrimental impacts on the health of organisms including human beings. Wetlands are economical, natural alternatives for the removal of heavy metals from the environment and macrophytes play a pivotal role in this direction, though they vary in their potential to do so. Heavy metal accumulation capability of two dominant species (Ceratophyllum demersum and Potamogeton natans) in a Kashmir Himalayan Ramsar site was studied. The accumulation of the different metals in P. natans was in the order of Al > Mn > Pb > Cu > Zn > Ni > Co > Cr > Cd, while in C. demersum it was Al > Mn > Zn > Co > Cu > Pb > Cr > Ni > Cd. In C. demersum the highest bioconcentration factor (BCF) was obtained for Co (3616) and Mn (3589) while in P. natans the highest BCF corresponded to Cd (1027). Overall Potamogeton–Ceratophyllum combination may provide a useful mix for Co, Mn and Cd removal from contaminated sites. The management implications of these results are briefly discussed.

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Acknowledgments

We are thankful to the Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, J and K, India, for providing necessary facilities during the course of this study. We also thank Mr. Irfan Rashid, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Kashmir for providing the GIS map of the study area. We are also grateful for financial support from University Grants Commission (UGC) India in the form of grants to Manzoor Ahmad Shah and Irfan Rashid. The comments and suggestions of the anonymous reviewers helped to improve the quality of the manuscript.

Funding

The major project to Manzoor Shah from the University Grants Commission, New Delhi India supported partly this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, 190 006, India

    Syed Shakeel Ahmad, Zafar A. Reshi, Manzoor A. Shah, Irfan Rashid & Roshan Ara

  2. University Science Instrumentation Centre, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, 190 006, India

    Syed M. A. Andrabi

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  1. Syed Shakeel Ahmad
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  2. Zafar A. Reshi
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  3. Manzoor A. Shah
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  4. Irfan Rashid
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Correspondence to Manzoor A. Shah.

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Ahmad, S.S., Reshi, Z.A., Shah, M.A. et al. Heavy metal accumulation in the leaves of Potamogeton natans and Ceratophyllum demersum in a Himalayan RAMSAR site: management implications. Wetlands Ecol Manage 24, 469–475 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-015-9472-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-015-9472-9

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