ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Efficient Pb Translocation by ‘Purple Petticoats’
cv. of Heuchera L. from Contaminated Soil
in a Coal Basin
Gabriela Sąkol1, Janusz Mirosławski2, Piotr Z. Brewczyński1
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1Department of Biohazard and Immunoallergology, Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health,
Kościelna 13, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
2Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Silesia,
Sosnowiec, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2014;23(6):2199-2205
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The post-mining area of Dąbrowskie Coal Basin is highly contaminated with toxic metals such as Cd,
Pb, and Zn. In our previous research Heuchera cv. 'Purple Petticoats' has shown the ability to Pb uptake and
effective transport into leaves. The purpose of this experiment was to check whether the time of cultivation
and use of nutrients would change the reaction of plants to Pb uptake in soil with low-level pollution (75
mg·kg-1). Pb content was analyzed in soil and plant tissues. Young plants (11 months old) absorb more Pb but
stop it in their roots. Contrarily, plants grown for three consecutive seasons in one place were characterized by
BAF~0.5 and TF~0.5. Pb amount in soil on plots where fertilizer was used was reduced by 9%, and without
fertilizing by 20%.