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Trace metal accumulation by Ranunculus sceleratus: implications for phytostabilization

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Abstract

This study investigated the growth response of Ranunculus sceleratus to pollution and its capacity to accumulate trace metals for its use as a phytoremediator in Lake Maruit, Egypt. Three basins (main basin, fish farm, and southwestern basin) representing the natural distribution of the plant as well as the pollution loads in the lake, were chosen for collecting plant and sediment samples. In each basin ten quadrats (0.5 m × 0.5 m), distributed equally along two sites, were selected for measuring growth parameters, nutrients, and trace metal concentration. The highest biomass of the shoot and root (610 and 236 g m−2) was recorded in the main basin and fish farm, respectively. R. sceleratus accumulated high concentrations of Cu and Pb (27.7 and 9.9 mg kg−1), while toxic concentration of Mn (2508.0 mg kg−1) in their roots compared to shoots. The bioaccumulation factor (BF) for the investigated metals was greater than one, and in the decreasing order: Ni (27.1) > Zn (20.0) > Cd (16.4) > Cu (7.7) > Mn (3.9) > Pb (3.6). The translocation factor of all analyzed trace metals was less than one. The ability of R. sceleratus to accumulate Mn, Ni, Cu, and Pb in its roots indicates the potential use of this species for phytostabilization of these metals (mainly Mn) in contaminated water bodies.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the editor and the two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions that significantly improved the manuscript. We thank Prof. Gamal Fahmy (Cairo University) for his revision to the manuscript.

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  1. Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt

    Emad A. Farahat & Tarek M. Galal

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  1. Emad A. Farahat
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  2. Tarek M. Galal
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Correspondence to Emad A. Farahat.

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Responsible editor: Elena Maestri

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Farahat, E.A., Galal, T.M. Trace metal accumulation by Ranunculus sceleratus: implications for phytostabilization. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 4214–4222 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0808-2

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