An Assessment of Metal in Fly Ash and Their Translocation and Bioaccumulation in Perennial Grasses Growing at the Reclaimed Opencast Mines

Abstract

Rapid expansion of the industrial sector adds more effluent into the agricultural land and in the vicinity of industry, which possesses the major threat of land contamination and environmental degradation. The present study was conducted to determine toxic metal concentration in fly ash and metal accumulation potential of the Saccharum munja and Cynodon dactylon, the two main grass species growing naturally on fly ash lagoon for Fe, Ni, Zn, Cu, Mn, Pb and Cd. Accumulation of metals were found in the order of Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > Ni > Pb and Cd. In spite of significant accumulation of Fe in the root and shoot, the BCF and BAC were found very low (<1) in both the grasses. The metal excluding properties in shoots of both the grasses with low translocation factor (<1 for Fe, Ni and Pb), high bioconcentration factor (>1 for Zn and Pb) and low bioaccumulation coefficient (<1 for Fe, Mn, Ni, Cu and Cd) suggests its suitability for phytoremediation of fly ash lagoons. Findings of the study suggest that weed species may be used for the stabilization of toxic metals contaminated land and to empower the rural economy.