The capability of uptake and removal of toxic heavy metals from the industrial discharge of Mobarakeh Steel Complex by some metal accumulating plants

Heavy metals are normally found in soils. Industrialization and urbanization have increased the anthropogenic contribution of heavy metals in biosphere. Phytoremediation is an important technology for remedying contaminated sites. In this work، we studied the capability of stability، growth، and uptake of heavy metals by means of Thlaspi caerulescen، Zea mays، Helianthus annuus، Eruca sativa، Brassica napus، Solanum nigrum and Alyssum bracteatum on Irankooh soil، containing high concentrations of Zn، Pb and Cd. S. nigrum were able to uptake Zn and Pb to a large extent (1716. 8 and 724 mg kg-1، respectively). Among eight species planted on Irankooh soil، T. caerulescen could accumulate Cd to a large extent (35. 3 mg kg-1). E. sativa and B. napus were another species for phytoremediation because they absorbed Zn، Pb، and Cd (specially Zn) more and produced high biomass yield. Z. mays and H. annuss could not accumulate high amount of heavy metals. These two species are not suitable plants for phytoremediation of heavy metals from contaminated soils of Irankooh.