Heavy Metals (Cr, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) Uptake by Cirsium arvense and Agropyron repens

The purpose of this study was to monitor the heavy metal soil contamination and also to accomplish a comparative study on Cirsium arvense and Agropyron repens heavy metals uptake. The samples were collected from seven different sites situated at various distances from the polluted area Tarnaveni, Romania. Near the chemical wastes spontaneous vegetation is predominant. In this vegetation formed on fallow land, Agropyron repens (monocotyledonate perennial weed) and Cirsium arvense (dicotyledonate perennial weed) are dominant species. The metal (Cr, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) concentrations were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The data were statistically analyzed using Main Component Analysis and Generalized Linear Model. Based on our research, we can conclude that Cirsium arvense is accumulating more chromium compared to Agropyron repens and is recommended to be used as an indicator for chromium contamination. The present study highlights that animals consuming spontaneous vegetation grown in this area ingest significant amounts of chromium and zinc.