Phytoremediation potential and vegetation assessment of plant species growing on multi-metals contaminated coal mining site

Abstract This study aims to evaluate the plant species potential to accumulate, concentrate and translocate the heavy metals around the coal mining contaminated site with heavy metals at Harnoi, Abbottabad. The phytosociological surveys involve the systematic study of plant communities within the particular area to show their composition, structure and distribution showed that the contaminated coal mining-associated area was poor in vegetation. Among these, 11 plant species with higher important values (IV) are collected with associated soil and analyzed for the total concentrations of Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Chromium (Cr), Lead (Pb) and Nickel (Ni) using Atomic Spectrophotometer. The phytoremediation indices (BAF, BCF, TF and TI) were used to evaluate the multi-metals hyperaccumulator and stabilizer plant species. Dodonaea viscosa was evaluated as multi-metals (Cd, Cu and Ni) stabilizer. While the Ajuga bracteosa and Sonchus espera , Sisybrium officinale and Platango ovata stabilize Cd and Cr respectively. The other plant species that can stabilize as single heavy metal are Ajuga bracteosa and Sonchus espera (Cd), Sisybrium officinale and Platango ovata (Cr) and Amaranthus spinosus (Ni) respectively. While the multi-metals accumulator plant species are Bidens pilosa (Cu, Pb and Ni), Chenopodium ambrosioides (Cd, Cu and Ni), Amaranthus spinosus (Cd, Cu and Cr), Ajuga bracteosa (Pb and Ni) and Rumex hastatus (Cd and Ni). However, the single heavy metal accumulator plant species are Sonchus espera (Pb), Conyzea Canadensis (Ni), Platango ovata and Malvastrum coromandelianum (Cu) respectively. These plants could find valuable applications in practical phytoremediation for the remediation near mining tailings at Abbottabad. Moreover, the use of local plants is a promising approach not only for in situ accumulation and stabilization of heavy metals but also for tolerance and environmental adaptations in the contaminated area.