Heavy Metal Uptake from Air and Soil by Transplanted Plants of Achillea millefolium and Hordeum vulgare

The amount of metal taken up by Achillea millefolium and Hordeum vulgare through leaves and roots was studied by growing the plants in six different soils, one of which was artificially enriched with Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb at five different concentrations. Plants were grown in pots placed at five sites with varying aerial deposition of heavy metals.

For Cu and Pb there was a significant correlation between the concentrations in plants and the rate of aerial deposition, while metal concentrations in plants and soils were unrelated. Nickel and Cd concentrations in plants were correlated with the rate of aerial deposition and soil concentrations. It was therefore concluded that A. millefolium and H. vulgare can be used to monitor aerial deposition of Cu and Pb, but their use to monitor Ni and Cd requires that chemical properties of the soil are constant throughout the monitored area.