Metal accumulation by Alyssum serpyllifolium subsp. malacitanum Rivas Goday (Brassicaceae) across different petrographic entities in South-Iberian ultramafic massifs: plant-soil relationships and prospects for phytomining

Int J Phytoremediation. 2022;24(12):1301-1309. doi: 10.1080/15226514.2021.2025206. Epub 2022 Jan 12.

Abstract

To date, studies of hyperaccumulation in plant tissues on ultramafic rocks have not considered the great diversity of petrographic entities in the world's outcrops. One of them is the one that we studied in Spain with more than eight petrographic entities and different soils. Our hypothesis is that the different chemical compositions of the soils in ultramafic rocks significantly affect the hyperaccumulation of metals by specialized plants, which may have consequences for phytomining. For this purpose, individuals, populations, and different soils have been tested and the results have been subjected to the corresponding statistical tests. The obtained knowledge reflects the different behavior of the studied plant not only for the Ni: the obtained results for Sr and for Ba revealed interesting results for the hyperaccumulation in Alyssum of both metals.

Keywords: Iberian Peninsula; Serpentinophyte; Sierra Bermeja; Sierra de Mijas; bioaccumulation factor; inter-population variation; metal hyperaccumulator.

MeSH terms

  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Brassicaceae* / chemistry
  • Metals
  • Nickel
  • Soil / chemistry
  • Soil Pollutants* / analysis

Substances

  • Metals
  • Soil
  • Soil Pollutants
  • Nickel