JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND ECOLOGY, cilt.18, sa.1, ss.22-29, 2017 (SCI-Expanded)
The natural bioaccumulation potential of some transitional metals, such us copper, zinc and manganese, was assessed in eight herbaceous species commonly growing on the Black Sea coastal area of Constanta County, Romania, Argusia sibirica (L.) Dandy, Echium italicum L., Atriplex sagittata Borkh., Conium maculatum L., Malva sylvestris L., Onopordum acanthium L., Plantago lanceolata L. and Rumex crispus L. Aboveground plants organs and afferent soil samples were digested and analysed by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry method, for selected metal concentration values, using HR-CS AAS ContrAA 700, Analytik Jena AG, Germany, acetylene flame technique, at the specific wavelengths, 324 urn (Cu), 213 urn (Zn) and 279 urn (Mn). To assess the phytoaccumulation potential, the Biological Accumulation Coefficients (BAC) were calculated. While,A. sibirica, M sylvestris (for Cu) and R. crispus (Cu and Zn) had constantly above average concentrations, none of the selected species were hyper accumulators, considering the established minimum concentration thresholds.. All studied herbaceous species were manganese excluders. A. sibirica, A. sagittata, O. acanthium, R. crispus, P. lanceolata had average BAC > 1 for Cu (constantly high in A. sibirica and A. sagittata). A. sibirica, E. italicum, P. lanceolata showed BAC > 1 for Zn (constantly, in A. sibirica). The obtained results emphasise an increased potential for phytostabilisation of copper and zinc rich soils and open the way for heavy metals phytoextraction studies on the Black Sea coastal area.