Mercury pollution in hornbeam ( Carpinus betulus ) trees in green space at industrial park area (Iran)

Abstract

The heavy metal mercury among other toxic metals can accumulate in plant organs in large quantities toxic to humans. Carpinus betulus is a most species from Caspian hyrcanian Mixed Forests, in this research it was studied that how much mercury absorbed from the environment . Twenty five trees were randomly selected, and the distances between trees (Hornbeam) were 10 to 15 meters in industrial park in North of Iran . From each tree selected, 15 grams leaves and 15 grams root were harvested with horticultural scissors and 15 g of soil from 30 cm depth. Four stations were selected near steel factory. A control station, located 2 km from the steel factory was selected and three stations were located near the steel factory. Samples of leaves, soil and roots are prepared after encoding, placed in paper envelopes and transferred to the lab. The amount of mercury in plant samples was prepared by dry digestion with atomic absorption spectroscopy. To compare the effect of mercury concentration on leaf and stem and root, Tukey's test was used. The average concentration of mercury in soil is 0.96 mg / kg, root 0.551 mg / kg, leaf 0.28 mg / kg. With increasing mercury, observed in the amount of leaf chlorophyll content is decreased. According to conducted investigations in study the Carpinus betulus tree can be concluded that the accumulation amount of heavy metal, mercury, and hornbeam is suitable for absorbing the contamination of mercury of soil pollution

Keywords

• carpinus betulus
• mercury
• pollution
• root
• soil pollution