Accumulation of heavy metals in various organs of Pinus eldarica medw and Cupressus arizonica green var. arizonica trees in Isfahan steel company area

Due to the high importance of monitoring and controlling the concentration of toxic elements in large industries, the present study was conducted to investigate the concentration of heavy metals in various organs of main forested species in the Isfahan steel company. For this purpose, 10 plant samples from the roots, leaves, and trunks of p < /em>inus eldarica Medw and Cupressus arizonica Green var. arizonica trees were collected at two distances of 500 and 1000 meters from the source of pollution and transferred to the laboratory. The concentrations of heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, nickel, and chromium were measured in their extracts using the atomic absorption device. Comparison of the mean concentrations of heavy metals and the effect of distance from the source of pollution on the concentrations of heavy metals in different organs of the studied species were studied using analysis of variance; comparison of means was done with Duncan's test and comparison of concentrations of heavy metals in two species was analyzed with independent sample t-test. The results showed a higher concentration of the heavy elements in the roots of the studied plants than in the trunk and leaves. Also, the concentration of absorbed metals by p < /em>inus eldarica was significantly higher than Cupressus arizonica. Finally, the concentration of the studied elements in the organ's body of p < /em>inus eldarica species at a distance of 1000 meters from the source of pollution was more than 500 meters, while there was no significant difference in the concentration of metals in Cupressus arizonica organs at these distances. The results of the present study clearly confirm the high potential of p < /em>inus eldarica species in the absorption of heavy metals in industrial areas.