Suitability of three cultivars of coral bells (heuchera cvs.) to bioremediation of cadmium (cd), lead (pb) and zinc (zn) from post-mining area in zagłębie dąbrowskie

Background: Long-term shallow exploitation of pitcoal in Będzin area (in mining district Zagłębie Dąbrowskie) has degraded the environment. Profiles of soil were dislocated and contaminated with heavy metals above permissible standards. Due to the fact that Zagłę- bie Dąbrowskie is densely populated, risk of harmful exposure to heavy metals affects high number of people. Decontamination of post-mining grounds is possible with planting plants which not only tolerate elevated heavy metals quantities but can also accumulate them in plant tissues. Materials and methods: The cultivars ‘Chatterbox’ and ‘Strawberry Swirl’ and ‘Palace Purple’ of coral bells (Heuchera cvs.) were chosen to do the research. Cadmium, lead and zinc uptake in plants growing in contaminated and control fields was evaluated. Amount of heavy metals was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Results: Content of metals detected in plants in postmining soil was respectively: Cd 1,92 mgükg11, Pb 56,3 mgükg11, Zn 153,7 mgükg11. Those metals value is from 2 to 4 times higher than natural content in neutral soil of pH 6,5 – a typical pH in this region. The examined cultivars of coral bells accumulated significant amount of Cd, Pb, Zn even if concentration of those metals was low, what is characteristic for clean regions of Poland. Conclusions: The plants cultivated on contaminated soil of post-mining region didn`t show toxic response (damaged leaves) even though they accumulated cadmium, lead and zinc in their roots and leaves. Cultivars differences of coral bells found on significance level (p¤0,05). The cultivar ‘Palace Purple’ has transported the highest amount of lead from roots to leaves. Other cultivars ‘Chatterbox’ and ‘Strawberry Swirl’ have accumulated higher amounts of metals in their roots in a sequence Cd¤Zn¤Pb