Comparison of the ability of different plant species to reflect environmental pollution in Bulgaria

Veronika Mihaylova, Rumyana Djingova, Valentina Lyubomirova

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the heavy metals (cadmium, lead, zinc, copper, iron and manganese) pollution in three regions in Bulgaria characterized with different type of pollution sources and to compare their bioaccumulation in selected agricultural plant species – perennial (apple and pear) and annual (corn and sunflower). The bioaccumulative ability of different plant parts was also investigated. The bioaccumulation factors of the analyzed heavy metals were evaluated by comparison of the determined concentrations in the plant parts from polluted regions to corresponding metal concentrations in the same plant species collected from a background region. A strong dependence of the accumulation of the studied plants on the specific pollutant was established as well as decreased transfer factors at increased heavy metals concentrations in the soils.

Keywords: accumulation factor; annual; heavy metals; ICP-MS; perennial; plants; transfer factors

Date published: 2019-07-31