Accumulation of Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn in plants and hyperaccumulator choice in Lanping lead-zinc mine area, China.

A field survey of higher terrestrial plants growing on Lanping lead-zinc mine, China were conducted to identify species accumulating exceptionally large concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn of 20 samples of 17 plant species. Concentrations of Pb and Zn in soil and in plant were higher than that of Cu and Cd. Significant difference was observed among the average concentrations of four heavy metals in plants (except Cd and Cu) and in soil (except Pb and Zn) (P<0.05). For the enrichment coefficient of the four heavy metals in plant, the order of average was Pb<Cu<Cd<Zn. Between four heavy metals, only significant difference was observed between the enrichment coefficient average of Cd and Cu (P<0.05). The enrichment coefficients were higher than 1 in Llex plyneura and Rhododendron annae in Paomaping for Pb, Salix cathayana, L. plyneura and R. annae in Paomaping for Cd, and R. annae in Paomaping for Zn, respectively. Concentrations and enrichment coefficient of Pb, Cd and Zn of Rhododendron were higher than that of Gramimeae. Enrichment coefficient of Pb, Cd and Zn were bush>tree>herbaceous, and herbaceous grew in soil with the highest concentrations of four heavy metals. In different areas, the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn in plants and soils and enrichment coefficient were different. Plants in Paomaping had more accumulating ability to Pb, Cd and Zn, and plants in Jinfeng River had more accumulating ability to Cu. Six plant species, i.e. S. cathayana, Lithocarpus dealbatus, L. plyneura, Fargesia dura, Arundinella yunnanensis and R. annae in Paomaping, had high accumulation capacity. R. annae in Paomaping had hyperaccumulating capacity to Pb, Cd and Zn, L. plyneura to Pb and Cd, and S. cathayana to Cd, respectively.