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Heavy metals accumulation and translocation in native plants grown on tailing dumps and human health risk

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Abstract

The heavy metal concentration in plant tissues of Ranunculus ficaria, Plantago major, Taraxacum officinale, and Achillea millefolium, frequently consumed or used in traditional medicine, collected from one of radioactive area of Romania, not been previously reported by any research group. The content of Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb were determined by ICP-MS. To evaluate the level of pollution, the plants are examined to determine the EDI, HRI and TTHQ values, to reach a judgment about whether their consumption is risky or not in terms of human health. The high amounts of Cd, Mn and Pb, in tissues of Taraxacum officinale and Plantago major, lead to the fact that the ecosystem in which these species are growing should be evaluated by the authorities in terms of environmental pollution. DIM and HRI data showed that A. millefiori and R. ficaria can be safely used by locals, while T. officinale and P. major are thought to pose a risk in terms of heavy metals. Accumulation of metals by both roots and leaves in T. officinale and P. major was proportional to the metal concentration in the tailings dumps, while Cr, Mn, Cd, and Pb content exceeded the maximum permissible daily levels.

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Abbreviations

BaF:

Bioaccumulation Factor / Transfer Factor

CR:

Carcinogenic Risk

CSF:

Cancer Slope Factor

DIM:

Daily Intake Metal

EDI:

Estimated daily intakes

HRI:

Human Risk Index

ICP-MS:

Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

LOD:

Limit of Detection

LOQ:

Limit of Quantification

NIST:

National Institute of Standards and Technology

RfD:

Reference Dose

RSD:

Relative Standard Deviation

SD:

Standard Deviation

SRM:

Standard Reference Material

STD:

Standard mode

TF:

Translocation Factor

THQ:

Target Hazard Quotient

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Humanities, Valahia University of Targoviste, 35 Lt. Stancu Ion, 130105, Targoviste, Romania

    Gica Pehoiu & Ovidiu Murarescu

  2. Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Science and Technology, Valahia University of Targoviste, 13 Sinaia Alley, 130004, Targoviste, Romania

    Cristiana Radulescu, Ioana Daniela Dulama, Sofia Teodorescu, Raluca Maria Stirbescu, Ioan Alin Bucurica & Sorina Geanina Stanescu

  3. Faculty of Sciences and Arts, Valahia University of Targoviste, 13 Sinaia Alley, 130004, Targoviste, Romania

    Cristiana Radulescu

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  1. Gica Pehoiu
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  2. Ovidiu Murarescu
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  3. Cristiana Radulescu
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  4. Ioana Daniela Dulama
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  7. Ioan Alin Bucurica
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  8. Sorina Geanina Stanescu
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Correspondence to Ovidiu Murarescu, Cristiana Radulescu or Ioan Alin Bucurica.

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Pehoiu, G., Murarescu, O., Radulescu, C. et al. Heavy metals accumulation and translocation in native plants grown on tailing dumps and human health risk. Plant Soil 456, 405–424 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-020-04725-8

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