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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2021, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (8): 86-97.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020570

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An assessment of heavy metal absorption patterns in herbaceous plants and pollution risks in manganese mining areas in Guizhou Province

Jun REN1,2(), Yao SHI2, Fang LIU1(), Rong TIAN2, Xing LIU2   

  1. 1.College of Resource and Environmental Engineering,Guizhou University,Guiyang 550025,China
    2.School of Geography and Resources,Guizhou Education University,Guiyang 550018,China
  • Received:2020-12-16 Revised:2021-01-19 Online:2021-07-09 Published:2021-07-09
  • Contact: Fang LIU

Abstract:

This research explored the occurrence of heavy metal pollution in manganese mining areas, and quantified the heavy metal absorption characteristics of dominant herbaceous plants in typical manganese mining areas in Tongren County, Guizhou Province, China. Samples of 18 commonly occurring herbaceous plant species belonging to 11 families and 18 genera, together with soil samples were collected. Asteraceae and Poaceae were the dominant families. We determined and analyzed the content of 7 elements (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Mn) in plants and their soils or growth substrates. It was found that heavy metal pollution was widespread in manganese mine waste areas, Mn pollution was the most serious, followed by Cd, and it belonged to the compound pollution of Mn and Cd. The enrichment and transport coefficients of 7 heavy metal elements in herbaceous plants were calculated, and cluster analysis was performed on the 18 herbaceous plant species sampled. Alopecurus aequalis has a strong enrichment ability for Cd, with a bioaccumulation factor of 22.49; Phytolacca acinosa and Miscanthus floridulus have strong enrichment and transport capacities for Cr and Ni; Saussurea japonica and Prunella vulgaris showed strong enrichment and transfer ability for various heavy metals. To summarize, Mn and Cd were found to be the main pollutants in manganese mining areas, and the native dominant herbaceous plants have suitable uptake characterisitcs for use in ecological restoration in the manganese mining areas.

Key words: manganese mining areas, heavy metals, herbaceous plants, ecological restoration