A study on heavy metal accumulation characteristics of four plant specles in the gold production area

In order to select suitable plant species for building artificial ecosystem at the gold production area of Tongguan county, concentration of heavy metals, including Cu、Zn and Cd, in four species of plants (Abutilon theophrasti, Cynanchi chinensis, Gymnaster piccolii, Viola philippica) were determined by the flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The results showed that the root area of four species were contaminated by the three metals. A higher Zn enrichment capacity was found in all of four species. G.piccolii had the highest Zn concentration than others; and the Zn concentration factor and transfer factor were 3.71 and 1.20, respectively. The Cd enrichment capacity of Cynanchi chinensis was the strongest; and the transfer factor and concentration factor were 1.89 and 0.31, individually. However, all of four species had a low Cu concentration level.