Soil Heavy Metal(loid) Pollution and Phytoremediation Potential of Native Plants on a Former Gold Mine in Ghana

• DOI: 10.1007/s11270-019-4317-4
• Publication Date: 2019-11-14T06:03:11Z
• Authors: Joshua Petelka; John Abraham; Anke Bockreis; Justus Precious D...; Stefan Zerbe
• Keywords: Environmental Engineering; Environmental Impact of Heavy Metal Contamination; Geochemistry and Utilization of Coal and Coal Byproducts; Gold mine-tailing; 01 natural sciences; Environmental science; Analytical Chemistry; Soil contamination; FOS: Chemical sciences; Geochemistry and Petrology; Soil water; Environmental Chemistry; Trace Element Analysis in Medicinal Plants and Teas; Biology; Water Science and Technology; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences; Soil science; Soil heavy metal(loid) contamination; Shoot; Phytoextraction; Hyperaccumulator; 15. Life on land; Pollution; Bioaccumulation; Agronomy; 6. Clean water; Phytoremediation; Earth and Planetary Sciences; Mine reclamation; Ecological Modelling; Chemistry; Heavy metals; 13. Climate action; Environmental Science; Physical Sciences; Environmental chemistry

Abstract This study investigated the soil pollution level and evaluated phytoremediation potential of 25 native plant species on a former gold mine-tailing site in Ghana. Plant shoots associated samples were collected from tailing deposition analyzed for total element concentration As, Hg, Pb, Cu. Soil metal(loid) content, bioaccumulation factor (BAF ), hyperaccumulator thresholds also determined to assess current phytoextraction potential. The As Hg was above international risk thresholds, while that Pb Cu below those thresholds. None reached absolute standard concentrations. Bioavailability sampled metal(loid)s generally low due high pH, organic matter, clay content. However, Cu, relatively values > 1) found 12 species, indicating selective heavy-metal extraction via by plants. levels at constitute an environmental health but there is (e.g., Aspilia africana ) reclamation afforestation using Leucaena leucocephala Senna siamea .