Concentration of alkaline and heavy metals in Biscutella laevigata L. and Plantago lanceolata L. growing on calamine spoils [S.Poland]

Two plant species growing on calamine spoils (vicinity of Olkusz, S. Poland) were examined for their ability to accumulate metals. The plants in these pilot studies were Biscutella laevigata L., a rare plant that occurs in lowlands on zinc-lead mine spoils only in the vicinity of Olkusz, and Plantago lanceolata L. which is a common species in Poland. Concentrations of alkaline metals (Ca, K, Mg) and heavy metals (Cd, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn) in soil and plants (shoots, roots) from two locations of calamine spoils 100 and 30 years old and control areas were determined. Soils from the mine spoils were alkaline (pH >7.4), with large concentrations of Ca and Mg. Concentrations of Cd, Pb and Zn in soil were up to 224 mg kg-1 3100 mg kg-1 and 78,000 mg kg-1, respectively. The amounts of exchangeable metals (1 M NH4NO3) were up to 9.51 mg kg-1 Cd, < mg kg-1 Pb, and 24.5 mg kg-1 Zn. Concentrations of heavy metals in plants from the calamine spoils and their distribution within plants depended on the species. B. laevigata accumulated heavy metals in roots (Cd) or shoots (Fe, Mn, Zn). P. lanceolata accumulated heavy metals mainly in roots. Maximum concentrations in roots and shoots of B. laevigata were 14.3 mg kg-1 Cd, 111 mg kg-1 Pb and 410 mg kg-1 Zn. P. lanceolata contained up to 65.6 mg kg-1 Cd, 157 mg kg-1 Pb and 2540 mg kg-1 Zn. Our data suggest that both species tend to exclude Cd, and P. lanceolata also Zn, present in large concentrations in the soil.