Metal extraction competence of plants on waste dumps of magnesite mine, Salem District, South India

An ex-situ experiment to assess the metal extractive potential of fourteen agriculture plants (Vigna unguiculata, Gossypium hirsutum, Jatropha curcas, etc.) was conducted on Magnesite mines which had above permissible levels of Cadmium and Lead. There was no much difference in the total chlorophyll a and b, carbohydrate and protein contents in the plants grown in the mining soil and adjacent control area (farm soil). While considering the phytoextractive potential, among the 14 plants studied, V. ungiculata, O. sativa, S. bicolour, S. indium, R. communis, M. uniflorum, G. hirsutum and J. curcas contained considerable amount of heavy metals Cd and Pb other test plants. The experiment confirms that these plants have potential to accumulate the toxic trace elements from soil especially mining waste or dump. The subsequent confirmation studies on their metal tolerant index, metal transfer factor, translocation factor and MREI index values auger their potential phyto-extractive properties. The present study will pave way for in depth related studies in future.