title: Selection of a suitable plant for phytoremediation in mining artisanal zones.
abstract: A study was undertaken with the aim of identifying a suitable plant for the phytoremediation of metal-polluted soil from an artisanal mining area in Ecuador. Three zones including a natural zone (NZ), abandoned zone (AZ) and intensively mined zone (IZ) were selected. Three common native plants grown in the three zones were identified and collected, including Miconia zamorensis, Axonopus compressus and Erato polymnioides. The percentage of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization that benefits their own survival in polluted soil was analyzed in the root samples of these candidate species. Analysis of the soils and plants collected from the different zones showed that the concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd were comparatively lower in the NZ, higher in the AZ and IZ, and highest in the AZ for all the metals. The concentration of all these metals in plant tissues was the highest in E. polymnioides. The data analysis including the metal accumulation index, bioconcentration factor and translocation factor strongly identified E. polymnioides as a hyperaccumulator plant suitable for phytoremediation.
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Química , Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, UTPL , Loja , Ecuador.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chamba
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Química , Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, UTPL , Loja , Ecuador.|b Investigadores Prometeos , Loja , Ecuador.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gazquez
authors.affiliation: b Investigadores Prometeos , Loja , Ecuador.|c Departamento de Ciencias Naturales , Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, UTPL , Loja , Ecuador.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Selvaraj
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Química , Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, UTPL , Loja , Ecuador.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calva
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Química , Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, UTPL , Loja , Ecuador.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Toledo
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Química , Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, UTPL , Loja , Ecuador.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Armijos
mesh_terms: D019659:Asteraceae / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004484:Ecuador; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D035322:Melastomataceae / Q000378:metabolism*; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism*; D008906:Mining; D006109:Poaceae / Q000378:metabolism*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D012989:Soil Pollutants
keywords: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; heavy metals; phytoremediation; translocation factor