Potential of Datura Stramonium for Phytoremediation of Soils Contaminated with Heavy Metals
Potential of Datura Stramonium for Phytoremediation of Soils Contaminated with Heavy Metals

Author(s): Violina Angelova
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: Udruženje ekonomista i menadžera Balkana
Keywords: Datura stramonium; Heavy metals; Fatty acid composition; Phytoremediation; Polluted soils
Summary/Abstract: Comparative studies have been carried out to determine the amounts of toxic metals and nutrients in the vegetative and reproductive organs of Datura stramonium, the composition and quality of the oil, and to establish the possibilities for phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. The field experiment was conducted on an agricultural field contaminated by the Non-Ferrous Metals Plant near Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The Datura is tolerant to heavy metals and can be grown on highly contaminated soils (2423.9 mg/kg Zn, 2509.1 mg/kg Pb, and 63.7 mg/kg Cd). Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni, Fe, Mn, Cu, K, and Mg accumulate in the leaves, Cr in the root system, and P accumulates in the seeds. The D. stramonium can be classified as a potential accumulator of Cd, an indicator for Pb, and an excluder of Zn. It can also be successfully used in phytoremediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals. The oil is a rich polyunsaturated linoleic fatty acid source with potential beneficial therapeutic activity.

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