Evaluating lead phytoremediation of the soil by the seedlings of Pinus Sylvertris

Today, heavy metal pollution of the biosphere has created environmental problems. Phytoremediation refers to the technique of using plants to remove pollution from the environment and to transfer them harmlessly, which becomes possible with the accumulation of heavy metals in various plant tissues and organs.In this study, 45 three-year old seedlings of Pinus sylvestris were put under the same condition at the end of March 2011, in Karaj. Using lead nitrate salt and water, different concentrations of (i.e. zero (control), 800, and 1600 mg/Kg) soluble were prepared and evenly added, in two occasions, to the soil of the seedlings at the end of June. The extracts obtained from root, stem, and leaf organs as well as the soil posts at the end of November were measured using the ICP device. Data obtained from a completely randomized design with 15 replications were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. The results indicated that P.sylvestris is a suitable species for lead phytoremediation. The accumulation of lead in root and shoot was more at the concentration of 800 ppm, whereas the highest amount of lead accumulation belonged to root and leave at the concentration of 1600 ppm. The comparison of different soil horizons demonstrated that the lead element was mostly accumulated in the surface horizon.