A Study on the Heavy Metal Tolerance in Several Herbaceous Plants

수종 초본식물의 중금속 내성에 대한 연구

Restoration of ecosystems degraded by heavy metal pollution can be accomplished by soil amendment and selection and utilization of plants tolerant to heavy metals. Two former zinc mine sites, Sambo Mine in Hwasung, Kyonggi-do and the Second Yonhwa Mine in Samchuk, Kangwon-do, were selected for collection of plant samples and for determination of heavy metal tolerant species. Dominant species on mine waste deposits in Hwasung site were Panicum bisulcatum and Echinoch/oa crus-galli, while those in Samchuk site were Aster yomena, Setaria viridis, Artemisia lavandulaefolia and Oenothera odorata. Mean contents of zinc, lead and cadmium in Hwasung soil were 103, 117 and 1 ppm, respectively, while those in Samchuk soil were 23, 6 and 4 ppm, respectively, Zinc contents were higher in Echinochloa crus-galli from Hwasung and in Artemisia lavandulaefolia from Samchuk, while lead contents were higher in Panicum bisulcatum and Echinochloa crus-galli from Hwasung and Lactuca sonchiJolia and Pinus densiJolia from Samchuk. Plant species with higher cadmium contents were Panicum bisulcatum and Lactuca sonchiJolia. Comparison of metal contents between roots and shoots showed that Echinochloa crus-galli was a zinc accumulator, while Panicum bisulcatum, Persicaria hydroPiPer, Pinus densiJlora and Lactuca sonchiJolia were zinc excluders. In addition, Panicum bisulcatum and Persicaria hydroPiPer were proved to be lead excluders. When both heavy metal contents in plant tissues and biomass of individual plants are considered, it can be concluded that Echinochloa crus-galli and Panicum bisulcatum from Hwasung and Artemisia lavandulaefolia and Aster yomena are heavy metal absorbing plants. The effect of heavy metals on seed germination showed that Artemisia princeps var. orientalis had higher germination rates, but no significant difference in concomitant decrease of germination rates among the species investigated were found by increasing heavy metal contents.