Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in aquatic plants in aconstructed wetland (Venice, Italy)

Heavy metals released into wetland aquatic systems are generally bound to particulate matter, which eventually settles down and becomes incorporated into sediments. Therefore, surface sediment is the most important reservoir or sink of metals and other pollutants, which can be taken up by rooted aquatic macrophytes. Aquatic plants are used as biological monitors in water quality studies to detect heavy metals and other pollutants in water and submerged soil (Weis et al., 2002) The aim of the study was to examine the influence of different sediment metal concentrations in the growth of three common aquatic macrophytes (Shoenoplectus lacustris (L.) Palla, Typha latifolia L. and Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex Steudel.) planted in two cells of a pilot wetland in Venice.