Possibility of use Artemisia austriaca Jacq. as an indicator of environmental pollution by certain heavy metals

Abstract

Due to the increasing negative impact of anthropogenic factors on the state of the environment in man-made regions, the possibility of using Artemisia austriaса Jacq. as an indicator of contamination of industrial areas by some heavy metals and transformation of plant communities under the influence of human activities is being considered. In order to achieve the objective of the study, the content of heavy metals (Ti, Mn, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Sr); in plant metals (A. austriaса) and soil samples selected in the suburbs of Pavlodar and Aksu (Pavlodar region, Kazakhstan) is analyzed at different distances from existing industrial enterprises. Geobotanic studies have also been carried out (using classical methods). A. austriaca, being a digressive-active species, under human-induced conditions often becomes a dominant or subdominant in plant communities (in regions where it has historically been represented in little abundance). Therefore, its capacity to accumulate some heavy metals (according to our research results – Zn and Cr) can be used (taking into account the distance from the source of emissions, age of plants, features of nanorelief and weather conditions) to determine the presence of contamination of industrial (or adjacent) areas, especially in areas of operation of metallurgical enterprises.

Keywords

• heavy metals in soil
• heavy metals in vegetation
• biological absorption coefficient
• artemisia austriaса jacq.
• hazard coefficient
• digression-active plant species
• pollution indicator