The Extent of Arsenic and of Metal Uptake by Aboveground Tissues of Pteris vittata and Cyperus involucratus Growing in Copper- and Cobalt-Rich Tailings of the Zambian Copperbelt
2011
Abstract
The extent of arsenic (As) and metal accumulation in fronds of the As hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata (Chinese brake fern) and in leaves of Cyperus involucratus, which grow on the surface of an old flotation tailings pond in the Zambian Copperbelt province, was studied. P. vittata accumulates from 2350 to 5018 lg g-1 As (total dry weight [dw]) in its fronds regardless of different total and plant-available As concentrations in both types of tailings.
Concentrations of As in C. involucratus leaves are much lower (0.24-30.3 lg g-1 dw).