Biogeochemical studies of metallophytes from four copper-enriched sites along the Yangtze River, China

The area along middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River is one of the biggest Cu belts in China. In the present study, the metallophytes growing in four copper (Cu)-enriched sites along the Yangtze River were surveyed to get detailed information about vegetation composition and their Cu uptake characteristics. In all sampling sites, Cu concentrations of soils were high; whereas the organic matter, acidity and salinity of most soils were on normal levels. Totally 82 plant species belonging to 45 families were recorded. All the species recorded in the present study exhibited high tolerances for Cu although they differed greatly in their abilities to accumulate Cu. Except for Rumex acetosa and Phytolacca acinosa, most species were Cu-excluders and no Cu hyperaccumulator was found. The Cu translocation factors (TFs) and bioconcentration factors (BCFs) of the 12 dominant species were fairly low, indicating low concentrations of Cu were translocated to the shoots of these species. On this basis, the potential utilization of these metallophytes for phytoremediation was discussed.