Volume 16, Issue 4 (Journal of Soil and Plant Interactions 2025)
2025, 16(4): 57-71 |
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1- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
2- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran ,hemami@um.ac.ir
3- Department of Environment of Sabzevar, Iran
2- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran ,
3- Department of Environment of Sabzevar, Iran
Abstract: (446 Views)
Background and Objective: Human activity, especially mining practices, has led to an increase in the concentration of heavy metals in soils. This research aimed to determine the concentration of total Cr, Ni, and Co and Cr(VI) and to evaluate pollution risk in margin soils and feather grass (Stipa barbata) and distribution of Cr(VI) at different sizes of aggregates of chromite mine of Sabzevar.
Methods: Thirty soil samples (0–15 cm depth) were taken from 350 m intervals around the chromite mine up to 10 km in the prevailing wind direction (east-west), and the concentrations of the studied elements in soils and plants were measured. In addition, the amount of chromium (VI) was determined in six aggregate size classes (2–4, 1–2, 0.5–1, 0.25–0.5, 0.05-0.25, and smaller than 0.05 mm).
Results: Concentration of chromium, nickel, and cobalt was higher than the global standard limit, and chromium (VI) in some places was beyond the standard limit of Iran's environmental organization. Comparison of chromium concentration in aggregate fractions showed that its concentration was higher in the fine particles, and the highest and lowest concentrations were found in particles with diameters < 0.05 and 2–4 mm, respectively. According to the geo-accumulation index, chromium was in the medium pollution class, and the enrichment index was obtained as Cr > Ni > Cr(VI) > Co. Besides, the pollution load factor indicated the polluted class. In addition, the bioaccumulation factor of the studied elements in the feather grass was less than one for cobalt, chromium, and nickel.
Conclusion: The capability of feather grass to transfer and accumulate heavy metals from the soil into its organs was low. Therefore, it is recommended to introduce this species as a plant resistant to pollution of heavy metals, and to monitor the concentration of heavy metals in soils at different time intervals.
Methods: Thirty soil samples (0–15 cm depth) were taken from 350 m intervals around the chromite mine up to 10 km in the prevailing wind direction (east-west), and the concentrations of the studied elements in soils and plants were measured. In addition, the amount of chromium (VI) was determined in six aggregate size classes (2–4, 1–2, 0.5–1, 0.25–0.5, 0.05-0.25, and smaller than 0.05 mm).
Results: Concentration of chromium, nickel, and cobalt was higher than the global standard limit, and chromium (VI) in some places was beyond the standard limit of Iran's environmental organization. Comparison of chromium concentration in aggregate fractions showed that its concentration was higher in the fine particles, and the highest and lowest concentrations were found in particles with diameters < 0.05 and 2–4 mm, respectively. According to the geo-accumulation index, chromium was in the medium pollution class, and the enrichment index was obtained as Cr > Ni > Cr(VI) > Co. Besides, the pollution load factor indicated the polluted class. In addition, the bioaccumulation factor of the studied elements in the feather grass was less than one for cobalt, chromium, and nickel.
Conclusion: The capability of feather grass to transfer and accumulate heavy metals from the soil into its organs was low. Therefore, it is recommended to introduce this species as a plant resistant to pollution of heavy metals, and to monitor the concentration of heavy metals in soils at different time intervals.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Biogeochemistry of contaminants in soil-plant system
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Journal of Soil and Plant Interactions by http://jspi.iut.ac.ir is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License which allows users to read, copy, distribute and make derivative works for non-commercial purposes from the material, as long as the author of the original work is cited properly.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License which allows users to read, copy, distribute and make derivative works for non-commercial purposes from the material, as long as the author of the original work is cited properly.
