25 February 2015, 9p
a
Southern Federal University, prosp. Stachki 194/1, Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation
b Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 1, Moscow, Russian Federation
b Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 1, Moscow, Russian Federation
Abstract
Purpose: The aim of
this study is the assessment of Ni, Mn, Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr and Zn
accumulation by different herbaceous species and soils on the
technogenic areas around power station from the results of long-term
monitoring observations.
Materials and
methods: Soil and plant samples were taken annually in the second decade
of June from monitoring plots on the areas around Novocherkassk Power
Station (Rostov region, South of Russia). Vegetative part of such plants
as Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Achillea nobilis L., Artemisia
austriaca, Tanacetum vulgare
L., Elytrigia repens L. and Cichorium intybus L. was under the study.
The total concentrations of Cr, Ni, Mn, Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb in the soils
were determined by X-ray fluorescent scanning spectrometer. Heavy metals
in plants were prepared for analysis by dry combustion at 450 °C. The
heavy metal concentration in extracts from plants was determined by
FAAS.
Results and
discussion: The effect of emissions from the power station on the metal
concentration in herbaceous plants and soils was established.
Contamination of herbaceous plants and soils with Zn, Cd and Pb on the
monitoring plots located at 5 km to the northwest from the power station
and the adjacent plots to the emission source was revealed. The metal
concentrations in plants growing on sandy alluvial-meadow soil were
higher than in the neighbouring light clayey meadow-chernozemic soil by
1.2–2.7 times. It was revealed that T. vulgare,
Ambrosia artemisiifolia and C. intybus accumulate a higher
concentration of heavy metals (HMs) in their aboveground parts than in
roots under technogenic pollution.
Conclusions: The
results of the 13-year-long monitoring studies showed the increasing of
all studied HM concentrations in the wild plants growing within 5 km
from the Novocherkassk Power Station (NPS) along the predominant wind
direction. The accumulation features of elements on the monitoring plots
indicate that the NPS is the main source of aerotechogenic
contamination of herbaceous plants and soils with the studied HMs on
this area. © 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
Author keywords
Contamination; Heavy metals; Herbaceous plants; Soil
