Phytoremediation ability of H. strobilaceum and S. herbacea around an industrial town.

Contaminations of soil and water resources with various organic and inorganic compounds are of great importance on account of the close relationship between the living organisms and their feeding. That is due to direct impact in supplying food for living organisms in terms of environmental and human health aspects. In this regard, the present study aimed to investigate the phytoremediation potential of H. strobilaceum and S. herbacea in contaminated soils. For this purpose, soil and plant samples were collected from around the sewage channel in Eshtehard industrial region of Iran. Sampling started at the edge of the channel and ended in a distance of 500 m from the channel. The distance of 1000 m from channel was considered as the control point. ICP-OES was used for the measurement of heavy metals. The obtained results showed that the highest and lowest amounts of soil lead (Pb) were 17.6 and 2.33 mg kg-1, respectively. For Cadmium (Cd), the values ranged from 0.341 to 0.11 mg kg -1 at 21-50 cm depth for the control point. For the plants, the highest and lowest amount of Pb belonged to H. strobilaceum shoot (10.38 mg kg -1) and S. herbacea root (7.54 mg kg -1), respectively. The maximum (1.64 mg kg-1) and minimum (0.36 mg kg-1) Cd concentration was observed in the root and shoot of H. strobilaceum, respectively. In both species, Translocation Factor (TF) for Pb and Cd was greater than 1 and less than 1, respectively. Cd Bio Concentration Factor (BCF) in the roots of both species was estimated to be greater than 1 while for Pb, this index was smaller. Bio Accumulation Factor (BAF) in the shoots of Pb and Cd for both plants were lower and greater than 1, respectively. In general, the results revealed that the highest concentrations of Cd and Pb are absorbed and stored by the underground organs of H. strobilaceum and S. herbacea and these plants have the ability to remove Pb and Cd from contaminated soils. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.