Quantification of potentially toxic elements in degraded mining soils and medicinal plants: a case study of Indus Kohistan region Northern Pakistan

• Published in: Environmental earth sciences Vol. 80; no. 18
• Main Authors: Sardar, Syed Wasim, Rehman, Syed Aziz Ur, Nawab, Javed, Khan, Sardar, Ali, Abid, Rahman, Zia Ur, Baig, Shams Ali, Khan, Muhammad Qayash
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-09-2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Absorption spectroscopy; Anthropogenic factors; Atomic absorption analysis; Atomic absorption spectroscopy; Bioaccumulation; Biogeosciences; Cadmium; Chromite; Contamination; Developing countries; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Ecosystem disturbance; Environmental impact; Environmental Science and Engineering; Geochemistry; Geology; Health problems; Herbal medicine; Hydrology/Water Resources; LDCs; Lead; Manganese; Medicinal plants; Mine wastes; Mining; Nickel; Ocean dumping; Original Article; Plant species; Pollutant load; Pollution; Pollution index; Pollution load; Soil; Soil contamination; Soils; Spectral analysis; Spectrometry; Terrestrial Pollution; Translocation; Ultramafic materials; Ultramafic rocks; Wastes; Zinc; Pakistan; Medicinal plants; Chromite mining; Plant uptake; Potentially toxic elements; Health risk
• ISSN: 1866-6280; 1866-6299
• DOI: 10.1007/s12665-021-09927-6

In recent years, a series of environmental and ecological problems have occurred due to enhanced anthropogenic disturbances for precious mineral mining. Traditional medicines have become an important pillar in national homeopathic treatment system, especially in mountainous environment of developing countries. The current study investigated the level of potentially toxic elements’ (PTEs) contamination in degraded mining soils and medicinal plants along the mafic–ultramafic rocks in Kohistan region. Soil samples and medicinal plant species were collected from the degraded mining areas and screened for PTEs (Pb, Cr, Ni, Mn, Zn and Cd) using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS-Perkin-Elmer, 2380). Various pollution indices were used for PTEs such as contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI) and translocation factor (TF) in degraded mining soils and medicinal plants. The mean concentrations of selected PTEs in soil were in the order of Mn > Ni > Cr > Pb > Zn > Cd, while in medicinal plants the mean concentrations were in the following order: Pb > Cr > Mn > Ni > Zn > Cd. Highest bioaccumulation was observed in
Ajuga bracteosa
(Cr = 349 mg kg
–1
),
Phlomis bracteosa
(Pb = 335 mg kg
–1
),
Chenopodium ambrosioides
(Mn = 304.3 mg kg
–1
),
Isatis costata
(Ni = 169 mg kg
–1
),
Ajuga parviflora
(Zn = 38.4 mg kg
–1
) and
Salvia moorcoftiana
(Cd = 11 mg kg
–1
). Furthermore, the concentrations of PTEs were significantly higher (
p
 < 0.001) in degraded mining soils and medicinal plants than the reference site, which may be attributed to the mining and open dumping of mining wastes. The present study reveals that chromite mining and open dumping of mining wastes can cause serious environmental problems in the study area. Furthermore, medicinal plants grown in degraded mining soils may pose risk to the local inhabitants as most of the people consume these plants for various health problems.