The objective of the present study was to
compare the potential accumulation capacity of Cr, Cu and
Zn in
Zea mays
and
Populus deltoides
Marsh. The study
was conducted in an area in a wastewater treatment plant in
Birjand for a period of 120 days. The soil sample and
selected parts of
Z. mays and
P. deltoides Marsh were
collected monthly and treated with hydrochloric acid and
nitric acid. The results showed that the highest mean
concentrations of Cu (1.78 ± 0.93 mg kg
-1) and Zn
(2.65 ± 1.37 mg kg
-1) were observed at
Z. mays in September.
The results indicated that the concentrations of Cu
and Zn in
Z. mays and
P. deltoides Marsh shoots irrigated
with wastewater were higher than tap water. In addition,
both the plants comparatively showed a significant increase
in total metal amount when treated with wastewater
(
p < 0.001). The study of BCF and TF demonstrated that
Z. mays was suitable for phytoextraction of Cu, but
unsuitable for both phytoextraction and phytostabilization
of Zn and Cr, whereas
P. deltoides Marsh was unsuitable
for both phytoextraction and phytostabilization of Zn, Cu
and Cr.
