Bioaccumulation and translocation factors of cadmium and lead in Aeluropus littoralis

Phytoremediation is an eco-friendly and low cost potential strategy for cleaning up of heavy metals from contaminated soils. Selection of promising plant is an important approach for successful phytoremediation. In two separate pot culture experiments, five levels of soil cadmium (Cd) concentrations as 15, 30, 60, 120 and 240 mg Cd kg soil and five levels of lead (Pb) including 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000 mg Pb kg soil were tested. Plant growth, bioaccumulation and translocation factors of Cd and Pb in A. littoralis were investigated. Cd and Pb reduced the A. littoralis dry matter production significantly. Bioaccumulation factor of Pb was <1, which shows A. littoralis could be an excluder of Pb. Our results also showed translocation factor of Cd was more than one and hence, A. littoralis could be considered as accumulator of Cd. The incremental translocation of Cd to the shoots of A. littoralis, when exposed to the higher Cd in soil, indicates a great performance of this plant for Cd phytoextraction and might be introduced as Cdhyperaccumulator plant.