title: Translocation and accumulation of boron in roots and shoots of plants grown in soils of low boron concentration in Turkey's Keban Pb-Zn mining area.
abstract: Boron (B) concentrations were investigated in both shoots and roots of Euphorbia macroclada, Verbascum cheiranthifolium, and Astragalus gummifer grown in soil of the Keban, Turkey, Lead-zinc-copper-fluoride mining area, which has an arid climate. Soil B concentrations were also investigated. Plants and their associated soil samples were collected and analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Total B concentrations of soils in the study area were very low (mean: 4.97 mg kg(-1)) as compared with those in surface soils in other countries. Boron concentrations of plant organs were several times higher than those in their associated soils. The mean values of B concentrations in roots of E. macroclada, V. cheiranthifolium, and A. gummifer were 25, 70, and 69 mg kg(-1), respectively, while those in shoots were 75, 115, and 77 mg kg(-1), respectively. Results indicate that roots and shoots of plants grown in soils with low B concentrations can be used both as biomonitors for environmental contamination and biogeochemical indicators for B.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey. asasmaz@firat.edu.tr
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sasmaz
mesh_terms: D001895:Boron / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D007220:Industrial Waste; D007854:Lead / Q000737:chemistry*; D008906:Mining; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism*; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000378:metabolism*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014421:Turkey; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D007854:Lead; D015032:Zinc; D001895:Boron