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Accumulation of potentially toxic trace elements (PTEs) by native plant species growing in a typical gold mining area located in the northeast of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

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Abstract

Though gold mines provide significant economic benefits to local governments, mining causes soil pollution by potentially toxic trace elements (PTEs) in mining areas, especially in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Screening of native plant species from mining areas is now an effective, inexpensive, and eco-friendly method for the remediation of PTEs in situ. In the present study, we conducted experiments to assess the accumulation of As, Cd, Pb, and Zn in 12 native plant species growing on a typical gold mining area in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Our results showed that rhizosphere soils have high soil organic matter content, high levels of As, and moderate levels of Cd. Geranium pylzowianum accumulated relatively higher As in its shoots and exhibited translocation factor (TF) higher than 1 for As (4.65), Cd (1.87), and Pb (1.36). Potentilla saundersiana had bioconcentration factor of shoot (BCF-S) higher than 1 for Cd (4.52) and Pb (1.70), whereas its TF was higher than 1 for As, Cd, Pb, and Zn. These plant species exhibit strong tolerance to these PTEs. Furthermore, Elymus nutans accumulated low levels of As, Cd, Pb, and Zn in their shoots and exhibited TF values lower than 1 for the four PTEs. Therefore, G. pylzowianum is a promising candidate for the in situ phytoextraction of As, and P. saundersiana can be used as an effective plant for Cd and Pb phytoextraction. E. nutans is better suited for the phytostabilisation of multiple PTEs. This work is of significant importance for screening native plant species that can provide a reference for phytoremediation of PTE-contaminated soils in this area or other place with similar climate, and has a good potential for developing PTE phytoremediation strategies at mining sites.

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Availability of data and materials

Most data generated or analysed during this study are included in this manuscript. Further data used during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Funding

This work was financially supported by the Key R & D Program of Gansu Province, China (17YF1NA065); the Gansu Special Project for Guiding Innovation and Development of Science and Technology, China (2018ZX-09).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems; Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, Gansu Tech Innovation Center of Western China Grassland Industry; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, People’s Republic of China

    Lei Wang, Guangde Hu, XiXi Wang & Jinrong Liu

  2. Basic Medical College, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaorong Xie

  3. Third Institute Geological and Mineral Exploration of Gansu Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, Lanzhou, 730030, Gansu, People’s Republic of China

    Qifeng Li & Zhifeng Yu

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  1. Lei Wang
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  2. Xiaorong Xie
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  4. Zhifeng Yu
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  5. Guangde Hu
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Contributions

Lei Wang: conceptualization, investigation, writing the original draft, and analysis

Xiaorong Xie: investigation and made suggestions of the manuscript

Qifeng Li and Zhifeng Yu: investigation and formal analysis

Guangde Hu and Xixi Wang: investigation and data curation

Jinrong Liu: editing and corresponding author

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Correspondence to Jinrong Liu.

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Wang, ., Xie, X., Li, Q. et al. Accumulation of potentially toxic trace elements (PTEs) by native plant species growing in a typical gold mining area located in the northeast of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 6990–7000 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16076-7

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