Remediation of soil-free grounds contaminated by zinc, lead and cadmium with the use of metallophytes

Our work addresses the issue of remediation of grounds heavily contaminated with zinc, lead and cadmium using local plant species Armeria maritima and Silene vulgaris. The results of the field experiment showed that the cultivation of tested plant species caused a significant decrease of zinc and lead content in post-flotation waste material and both tested plant species could be applied to phytostabilisation of areas contaminated by heavy metals. Moreover, the use for remediation of the Olkusz settling ponds can be favourable for the restoration of native ecosystems on degraded areas.