Investigating the Role of Rangeland Plants in Remediation of Contaminated Soils to Lead and Zinc from around Ahangaran Lead and Zinc Mine in Malayer

Soil contamination by heavy metals is a major environmental problem in the world. In polluted environments, especial plant species can grow, adapt, absorb, and uptake heavy metals. This study was carried out to investigate the phytoremediation potential of plant species including Acantholimon olivieri (Jaub. & Spach) Boiss., Astragalus glaucacanthus Fisch., Ebenus stellata Boiss., Scariola orientalis (Boiss) Sojak subsp Orientalis. and Stipa barbata Desf in Ahangaran lead and zinc mine, Malayer Province. For this purpose, in polluted and controlled sites, the sampling of aerial and underground tissue was performed in a completely randomized block design with three replicates in summer 2015. The results indicated that in polluted sites, lead and zinc concentrations in aerial and underground tissues were higher as compared with control site. Among the study species, Astragalus glaucacanthus Fisch., had the highest value of lead and zinc absorption in aerial tissue (118.6 and 190.69 mg/kg dry matter, respectively) and Scariola orientalis (Boiss) Sojak subsp Orientalis., had the highest value of lead and zinc absorption in underground tissue (41.07 and 67.76 mg/kg dry matter, respectively). Also, Astragalus glaucacanthus Fisch., Acantholimon olivieri (Jaub. & Spach) Boiss., and Ebenus stellata Boiss., had the highest translocation factor of lead (3.39, 3.19, 3.16) and zinc (3.24, 3.06, 2.92), respectively. Our results clearly showed that these three mentioned species could be used to refine the soils polluted to lead and zinc in similar conditions.