Heavy metals uptake by trees near a waste incinerator

Abstract

Incinerators produce energy burning virtually everything including waste, but emit pollutants such as heavymetals and carbon monoxide (CO). These substances can be uptaken by trees through their roots, leaves or stems. Toevaluate the quantity of heavy metals uptaken, and to validate the methodology, we studied an incinerator and its areaof influence. In order to catalogue the impact of the incinerator on the environment, sampling sites were grouped intoseven categories according to the prevailing wind direction. The selected tree species was Populus Alba and heavymetals considered were antimony (Sb), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb),copper (Cu), vanadium (V), and zinc (Zn). In a first stage, the metals concentrations were compared with literature data.Metals with higher concentrations were chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb). Metal concentrations of polluted zones were thencompared, with control site. Sample points near the incinerator showed lower metals concentrations whereas, all samplestaken in an urban area had higher concentrations, especially chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb). A final analysis revealed thatthe tree species chosen are not a good choice to evaluate bioaccumulation since its dynamic factors of biophilicity arelow. However such trees proved suitable for phytoremediation.