Phytoremediation of heavy metal contamination by perennial legumes

ABSTRACT

Uptake of heavy metals from the soil by perennial legumes was measured over two- and four-year periods, and their accumulation measured in succeeding crops of winter wheat. Of the legumes tested: lucerne, red clover, sand sainfoin, white sweet clover, bird’s foot trefoil, and eastern goatweed, sainfoin exhibits the greatest bioaccumulation over 2 years but all the studied legumes are effective. Moreover, we observe optimisation of the environment for the following crops, including the conversion of mobile forms of heavy metals in the soil into hard-to-reach forms that cannot migrate into the plant under simultaneous influence on the biological and mineral components.

KEYWORDS:

• Phytoremediation
• heavy metals
• soil
• perennial legumes

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).