Study of the Possibility of Arsenic Phytoremediation in the Soil of Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex by Native Plants

Arsenic is considered as a carcinogen heavy metal among the pollutant metals. In addition, it has been added into the environment due to human activities. Sarcheshmeh copper mine is a large mine site in Iran and its soil contents many heavy metals including arsenic. Using suitable plants for remediation of the polluted soils has payed more attentions in recent years. In phytoremediation plants accumulate heavy metals in their root systems and the root can be removed subseqently. In this research, plants growing around the Sarcheshmeh copper mine were examined for their ability to accumulate arsenic. Roots and shoots and soil around the root of plants, Artemisia aucheri, Astragalus myriacanthus, Ferula oopoda, Gundelia tournefortii, and Rumex ribes were sampled. The amounts of arsenic of the samples were measured by using ICP in Admel laboratory in Australia. The highest amount of arsenic in soil samples was 300 ppm. In the shoot of Astragalusg myriacanthus was 107 ppm and in its roots was 29 ppm. According to the results it is indicated that the exmined plants have high potential for accumulating arsenic.