Assessment of Lead (Pb) Accumulation in Native Plants Growing on Coal Mine Site in Northeastern Vietnam

Heavy metals are environmental contaminants that are hazardous to soil, water, animals, and human health. Recently, the problem of heavy metal treatment in soil after mining has been studied by many scientists both at laboratory and field. The application of native plants in treating heavy metals (Phytoremediation) in the soil after mining is interesting, appreciated, and highly applicable because of its friendliness to the polluted environment, cost-saving, improving the landscape and environment, and favorable for long-term implementation. The primal objective of this study was to examine the tolerance of native plants to lead (Pb) accumulation in soil. The plant samples and soil samples were taken analyzed for Pb concentration. Research results showed that, all three species of plants had the ability to grow and develop well in the environment with the concentrations of Pb. The average Pb accumulated was the highest in Lantana camara at 3.38 mg/kg, followed by Eleusine indica and Aglaonema muntifolium at 1.67 mg/kg and1.37 mg/kg, respectively. Based on the enrichment coefficients for stem-leaves and root values, plant was separated into two group including hyperaccumulator (Aglaonema muntifolium) and phytostabilizer (Lantana camara and Eleusine indica). Our study suggested the effectiveness of some native plant species in treating Pb contaminants in soil, this result can be applied in mitigating the effect of heavy metals caused by mining on environmental and human health.