Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Phytoremediation assessment of native plants growing on Pb–Zn mine site in Northern Tunisia

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Pollution by heavy metals presents an environmental concern, and their toxicity threats soil, water, animals and human health. Phytoremediation can be used as a solution to remediate contaminated soils. The aim of this study was to identify native plants collected from tailings: material of Pb–Zn mine sites of Fedj Lahdoum and Jebel Ressas (two abandoned mines located, respectively, in the northwest of Tunisia and in the south of Tunis City). The tolerance of plant to heavy metals (lead, zinc and cadmium) is evaluated. Soil samples were collected and analyzed for Pb, Zn and Cd concentration. The total soil Pb, Zn and Cd are, respectively, reached 6132 mg kg−1, 11,052 mg kg−1 and it doesn’t exceed 479 mg kg−1 for Cd. The highest content of Zn in plants was detected in shoots of Rumex bucephalophorus (1048 mg kg−1), and the highest Pb concentration was detected in roots of Chrysopogon zizanioides (381 mg kg−1), while for Cd Silene colorata it accumulated the highest content in roots (51 mg kg−1). From all plants, only 12 have a translocation factor for Pb which is higher than one. Among all plants, only 17 have a translocation factor that is higher than one for Zn, while for Cd only 13 plants indicate TF > 1. As for the biological absorption coefficient, all samples indicate a rate which is lower than one. These plants can be primarily hyper accumulators and useful in remediation of lead- and zinc-contaminated soils after further biochemistry researches in mechanism of accumulation and translocation of heavy metals in plants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • Abdelmalek-Babbou CH (2012) Caractérisation environnementale du site minier de Fedj Lahdoum (NW de la Tunisie). Décontamination des rejets miniers par flotation. Thesis. Faculty of Sciences of Tunis (FST). Tunisia, p 255

  • Albornoz CB, Larsen K, Landa R, Quiroga MA, Najle R, Marcovecchio J (2016) Lead and zinc determinations in Festuca arundinacea and Cynodon dactylon collected from contaminated soils in Tandil (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina). Environ Earth Sci 75:742

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alloway BJ (1994) Toxic metals in soil-plant systems. United Kingdom, 469p

  • Baker AJM, Reeves RD, Hajar ASM (1994) Heavy metal accumulation and tolerance in British populations of the metallophyte Thlaspi caerulescens J & C Presl (Brassicaceae). New Phytol 127:61–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barrutia O, Artetxe U, Hernandez A, Olano JM, García-Plazaola JI, Garbisu C, Becerril JM (2011) Native plant communities in an abandoned Pb–Zn mining area of northern Spain: implications for phytoremediation and germplasm preservation. Int J Phytoremed 13:985–997

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baudouin C, Charveron M, Tarrouse R, Gall Y (2002) Environmental pollutants and skin cancer. Cell Biol Toxicol 18:341–348

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beyersmann D, Hartwig A (2008) Carcinogenic metal compounds: recent insight into molecular and cellular mechanisms. Arch Toxicol 82(8):493–512

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks RR (1998) Plants that hyperaccumulate heavy metals: their role in phytoremediation, microbiology, archaeology, mineral exploration and phytomining. CAB International, Wallingford

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown SL, Chaney RL, Angle JS, Baker AJM (1995) Zinc and cadmium uptake by hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens and metal tolerant Silene vulgaris grown on sludge amended soils. Environ Sci Technol 29(6):1581–1585

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burt R (2004) Soil survey laboratory methods manual. Soil survey investigations report no. 42. Versión 4.0, United States Department of Agriculture

  • Cai YP, Huang GH, Yang ZF, Sun W, Chen B (2009) Investigation of public’s perception towards rural sustainable development based on a two-level expert system. Expert Syst Appl 36(5):8910–8924

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham SD, Berti WR, Huang JW (1995) Phytoremediation of contaminated soils. Trends Biotechnol 13:393–397

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dmuchowski W, Gozdowski D, Bragoszewska P, Baczewska AH, Suwara I (2014) Phytoremediation of zinc contaminated soils using silver birch (Betula pendula Roth). Ecol Eng 71:32–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong C, Huang GH, Cai YP, Liu Y (2012) An inexact optimization modeling approach for supporting energy systems planning and air pollution mitigation in Beijing city. Energy 37(1):673–688

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dudka S, Adriano DC (1997) Environmental impacts of metal ore mining and processing: a review. J Environ Qual 26:590–602

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghaderian SM, Ghotbi Ravandi AA (2012) Accumulation of copper and other heavy metals by plants growing on Sarcheshmeh copper mining area, Iran. J Geochem Explor 123:25–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghorbel M (2012) Contamination métallique issue des déchets de l’ancien site minier de Jebel Ressas: modélisation des mécanismes de transfert et conception de cartes d’aléa post-mine dans un contexte carbonaté et sous un climat semi-aride. Evaluation du risque pour la santé humaine. Thesis, University of Toulouse. France p 231

  • Ghorbel M, Munoz M, Courjault-Radé P, Destrigneville C, Parseval P, Souissi R, Souissi F, Ben Mammou Abedeljaoued S (2010) Health risk assessment for human exposer by direct ingestion of Pb, Cd, Zn bearing dust in the former miners village of Jebel Ressas (NE Tunisia). Eur J Mineral 22:639–649

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes JB, Shanks J, Vanderford M, Lauritzen J, Bhadra R (1997) Transformation of TNT by aquatic plants and plant tissue cultures. Environ Sci Technol 31:266–271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jolly YN, Islam A, Akbar S (2013) Transfer of metals from soil to vegetables and possible health risk assessment. J SP 2:385

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabata-Pendias A, Pendias H (1992) Trace elements in soils and plants. CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan S, Cao Q, Chen BD, Zhu YG (2006) Humic acids increase the phytoavailability of Cd and Pb to wheat plants cultivated in freshly spiked contaminated soil. J Soil Sedim 6(4):236–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim IS, Kang HK, Johnson-Green P, Lee EJ (2003) Investigation of heavy metal accumulation in Polyonumthumbergii for phytoextraction. Environ Pollut 126:235–243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knasmuller S, Gottmann E, Steinkellner H, Fomin A, Pickl C, Paschke A et al (1998) Detection of genotoxic effects of heavy metal contaminated soils with plant bioassays. Mutat Res 420:37–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koptsik S, Koptsik G, Livantsova S, Eruslankina L, Zhmelkova T, Vologdina Z (2003) Heavy metals in soils near the nickel smelter: chemistry, spatial variation and impacts on plant diversity. J Environ Monit 5:441–450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lasat MM, Pence NS, Garvin DF, Kochian LV (2000) Molecular physiology of zinc transport in the Zn hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens. J Exp Bot 51:71–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee J, Sung K (2014) Effects of chelates on soil microbial properties, plant growth and heavy metal accumulation in plants. Ecol Eng 73:386–394

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levy DB, Redente EF, Uphoff Gd (1999) Evaluating the phytotoxicity of Pb–Zn tailings to big bluesteam (Andropogon gerardii vitman) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). Soil Sci 164:363–375

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Gao Y, Sardar K, Duan G, Chen A, Ling L, Zhao L, Liu Z, Wu X (2008) Accumulation of Pb, Cu, and Zn in native plants growing on contaminated sites and their potential accumulation capacity in Heqing, Yunnan. J Environ Sci 20:1469–1474

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marrugo-Negrete J, Marrugo-Madrid S, Pinedo-Hernández J, Durango-Hernández J, Díez S (2016a) Screening of native plant species for phytoremediation potential at a Hg-contaminated mining site. Sci Total Environ 542(1):809–816

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marrugo-Negrete J, Marrugo-Madrid S, Pinedo-Hernández J, Durango-Hernández J, Díez S (2016b) Screening of native plant species for phytoremediation potential at a Hg-contaminated mining site. Sci Total Environ 542:809–816

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mendez MO, Maier RM (2008) Phytoremediation of mine tailings in temperate and arid environments. Rev Environ Sci Bio/Technol 7(1):47–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menzies NW, Donn MJ, Kopittke PM (2007) Evaluation of extractants for estimation of the phytoavailable trace metals in soils. Environ Pollut 145:121–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mertens J, Luyssaert S, Verheyen K (2005) Use and abuse of trace metal concentrations in plant tissue for biomonitoring and phytoextraction. Environ Pollut 138:1–4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moreno-Jiménez E, Peñalosa JM, Manzano R, Carpena-Ruiz RO, Gamarra R, Esteban E (2009) Heavy metals distribution in soils surrounding an abandoned mine in NW Madrid (Spain) and their transference to wild flora. J Hazard Mater 162:854–859

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nouri J, Lorestani B, Yousefi N, Khorasani N, Hasani AH, Seif F, Cheraghi M (2011) Phytoremediation potential of native plants grown in the vicinity of Ahangaran lead–zinc mine (Hamedan, Iran). Environ Earth Sci 62:639–644

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padmavathiamma PK, Loretta YL (2007) Phytoremediation technology: hyper-accumulation metals in plants. Water Air Soil Pollut 184:105–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park S, Kim KS, Kang D, Yoon H, Sung K (2013) Effects of humic acid on heavy metal uptake by herbaceous plants in soils simultaneously contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons. Environ Earth Sci 68:2375–2384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perchet GT (2008) Étude de bioremédiation de sédiments contaminés par des composés organiques nitrés persistants. Thèse, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse

  • Remon E, Bouchardon JL, Le Guédard M, Bessoule JJ, Conord C (2013) Are plants useful as accumulation indicators of metal bioavailability. Environ Pollut 175:1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rungwaa S, Arpab G, Sakulasc H, Harakuwed A, Timie D (2013) Phytoremediation-an eco-friendly and sustainable method of heavy metal removal from closed mine environments in Papua New Guinea. Proc Earth Planet Sci 6:269–277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rybicka EH (1996) Impact of mining and metallurgical industries on the environment in Poland. Appl Geochem 11:3–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sainfeld P (1952) les gites plombo-zincifères de Tunisie. Ann. Mines Géo. Tunis, 9, p 285

  • Sainger PA, Dhankhar R, Sainger M, Kaushik A, Singh RP (2011) Assessment of heavy metal tolerance in native plant species from soils contaminated with electroplating effluent. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 74(8):2284–2291

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salt DE, Blaylock M, Kumar N, Dushenkov V, Ensley B, Chet I, Raskin I (1995) Phytoremediation: a novel strategy for the removal of toxic metals from the environment using plants. Nat Biotechnol 13:468–474

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salt DE, Smith RD, Raskin I (1998) Phytoremediation. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 49:643–668

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez-López AS, Carrillo-Gonzalez R, Gonzalez-Chavez Mdel C, Rosas-Saito GH, Vangronsveld J (2015a) Phytobarriers: plants capture particles containing potentially toxic elements originating from mine tailings in semi arid regions. Environ Pollut 205:33–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez-López AS, Del Carmen A, González-Cháveza M, Carrillo-Gonzáleza R, Vangronsveld J, Díaz-Garduño M (2015b) Wild flora of mine tailings: perspectives for use in phytoremediation of potentially toxic elements in a semi-arid region in Mexico. Int J Phytoremed 17(1–6):476–484

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santos-Jallath J, Castro-Rodríguez A, Huezo-Casillas J, Torres-Bustillos L (2012) Arsenic and heavy metals in native plants at tailings impoundments in Quere-taro, Mexico. Phys Chem Earth Parts A/B/C 37–39:10–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sebei A (2007) Impacts des rejets miniers sur l’environnement : cas des bassins versants des oueds Mellegue et Tessa (Tunisie Septentrionale). Thesis, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis (FST), p 259

  • Singh R, Singh DP, Kumar N, Bhargava SK, Barman SC (2010) Accumulation and translocation of heavy metals in soil and plants from fly ash contaminated area. J Environ Biol 31(4):421–430

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun Z, CheN J, Wang X, Lv Ce (2016) Heavy metal accumulation in native plants at a metallurgy waste site in rural areas of Northern China. Ecol Eng 86:60–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tlustos P, Pavlikova D, Szakova J, Balik J (2006) Plant accumulation capacity for potentially toxic elements. In: Morel J-L et al (eds) Phytoremediation of metal-contaminated soils. Springer, Amsterdam, pp 53–84

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Tordoff GM, Baker AJM, Willis AJ (2000) Current approaches to the revegetation and reclamation of metallieferous mine wastes. Chemosphere 41:219–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tu C, Mal Q, Bondada B (2003) Arsenic accumulation in the hyperaccumulator Chinese brake and its utilization potential for phytoremediation. J Environ Qual 31:1671–1675

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei CY, Chen TB, Huang ZC (2002) Cretan bake (Pteris cretica L.): an arsenic-accumulating plant. Acta Ecol Sin 22:777–782

    Google Scholar 

  • Wójcik M, Sugier P, Siebielec G (2014) Metal accumulation strategies in plants spontaneously inhabiting Zn–Pb waste deposits. Sci Total Environ 487:313–322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong MH (2003) Ecological restoration of mine degraded soils, with emphasis on metal contaminated soil. Chemosphere 50:775–780

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong J, Ip CM, Wong MH (1998) Acid-forming capacity of Pb–Zn mine tailings and its implications for mine rehabilitation. Environ Geochem Health 20:149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yanqun Z, Yuan LT, Jianjun C, Haiyan C, Li Q, Schvartz C (2005) Hyperaccumulation of Pb, Zn and Cd in herbaceous grown on lead–zinc mining area in Yunnan, China. Environ Int 31:755–762

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ye ZH, Shu WS, Zhang ZQ, Lan CY, Wong MH (2002) Evaluation of major constraints to revegetation of lead/zinc mine tailings using bioassay techniques. Chemosphere 47:1103–1111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoon J, Cao X, Zhou Q, Ma LQ (2006) Accumulation of Pb, Cu, and Zn in native plants growing on a contaminated Florida state. Sci Total Environ 368:456–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuasa Y, Murai H, Hamaura K, Inoue K (1995) Soil properties of revegetated open-cut mining lands in the past Matsuo Sulphur mine, Iwate Prefecture. J Sci Soil Manure Jpn 66:520–526

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang C, Song N, Zeng GM, Jiang M, Zhang JC, Hu XJ, Chen AW, Zhen JM (2014) Bioaccumulation of zinc, lead, copper, and cadmium from contaminated sediments by native plant species and Acrida cinerea in South China. Environ Monit Assess 186:1735–1745

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao FJ, Hamon RE, Lombi E, McLaughlin MJ, McGrath SP (2002) Characteristics of cadmium uptake in two contrasting ecotypes of the hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens. J Exp Bot 53:535–543

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zou Z, Li T, Zhang X, Yu H, Huang H (2012) Lead accumulation and phytostabilization potential of dominant plant species growing in a lead–zinc mine tailing. Environ Earth Sci 65(3):621–630

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments to improve the scientific quality of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Plant Ecology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisia

    Salima Chaabani & Hela Ben Ahmed

  2. Laboratory of Mineral Resources and Environment, Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisia

    Salima Chaabani, Chiraz Abdelmalek-Babbou & Abdelaziz Sebei

  3. Department of Hydrology and Water Resources Management, Faculty of Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Anis Chaabani

  4. Laboratory of Geodesy Research (LARGE), Paris-Est University Marne-La-Vallée (UPEM), Paris, France

    Anis Chaabani

Authors
  1. Salima Chaabani
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chiraz Abdelmalek-Babbou
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hela Ben Ahmed
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Anis Chaabani
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Abdelaziz Sebei
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hela Ben Ahmed.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chaabani, S., Abdelmalek-Babbou, C., Ben Ahmed, H. et al. Phytoremediation assessment of native plants growing on Pb–Zn mine site in Northern Tunisia. Environ Earth Sci 76, 585 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-6894-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-6894-0

Keywords