Phytoremediation of Heavy-Metal-Contaminated Soils: Capacity of Amaranth Plants to Extract Cadmium from Nutrient-Poor, Acidic Substrates

Soil pollution is a threat to food security and ecological human health. Cd one of the most common pollutants in agricultural soil and, due its toxicity, hazardous. Amaranth documented hyperaccumulator other pollutants, it commonly grown Asia South America. A considerable amount amaranth suboptimal conditions, including nutrient-poor acidic soils. The objective this experimental study was examine capacity Amaranthus hypochondriacus extract from nutrient-poor, substrate that spiked with different concentrations (2 20 mg kg−1 dw) during period 180 days. plants dw did not develop into mature plants, but 2 extracted significant by accumulating above-ground biomass. levels varied 113 176 stems at four measuring points, 64 94 leaves. increased time reached maximal concentration ± 45 for 41 leaves after mean bioaccumulation factor 86 15 90 days, 72 12 120 105 37 150 99 31 which confirms previously reported hyperaccumulate Cd. may, thus, be used improve health remediating moderately Cd-polluted soils, even