Bioconcentration factor of heavy metals in some aquatic plants in the Shatt Al-Arab River and the possibility of using them as bioindicators of heavy metal pollution

This study was conducted to measure the concentration of heavy metals (manganese, copper, zinc, iron, and cadmium) in water and aquatic plants of Ceratophullum demersum as a submerged, Phragmites australis as an emergent, and Lemna minor as a floating aquatic plant to calculate their bioconcentration factor and compare them in aquatic plants to find out proper one as heavy metal bioindicator. Three stations were selected for sampling from the Shatt Al-Arab River, based on the differences in their characteristics in terms of human activities and distribution of aquatic plants. The results showed that C. demersum can absorb most of the heavy metals, followed by the Ph. Australis. The manganese element was the distinguished element with the highest accumulation rate. Based on the results C. demersum can be suggested as a bioindicator of heavy metal pollution in the Shatt Al-Arab River.