Elemental composition of plant species from an abandoned tungsten mining area: Are they useful for biogeochemical exploration and/or phytoremediation purposes?

Abstract

We aimed to evaluate the elemental (W, Mo, Zn, Fe, Cu, Co, Bi, Mn, Cd, Cr, As) composition of some plant species spread around the abandoned tungsten mining area of Uludag Mountain. The plant species tested were Anthemis cretica and Trisetum flavescens which are grown in this area and they are pioneer species on these contaminated sites. W levels in soils were found up to 1378.6 +/- 672.3 mg/kg dry weight in contaminated areas. The leaf W contents of the selected plant species were found 41.1 +/- 24.4 and 31.1 +/- 15.5 mg/kg dry weight for A. cretica and T. flavescens, respectively. Our results indicate that the elemental composition of species changed by the increased tungsten and some element concentrations in soil without detrimental effect. So, these species can be useful tungsten removal and some elements from contaminated sites.