Heavy Metals Accumulation in Trees Grown in Urban and Rural Areas

Abstract

Since heavy metals are the big concerns for the public health today. Metals play a vital role as structural and functional components of proteins and enzymes in cell. The most important pathway of metals to transport into human is from soil to plant to human, so this study was carried out to measure the contents of heavy metals concentrations in plants leaves from their natural habitats of urban and rural area in Nasiriyah city, Iraq. The study was conducted to investigate the heavy metals content of four plant species of Eucalyptus, Olea, Zizphus and Conocarpus from urban (Nasiriyah city) and rural area (farms north of Nasiriyah). The concentration of heavy metals was tested, including the zinc, copper and lead. Heavy metals were detected using an atomic absorption spectrometer. The results showed that the highest concentration of heavy metals in Olea leaves and Eucalyptus leaves were found from the urban areas. Zn was the most dominant metal whereas Pb had the lowest concentration for all urban and rural area. Among the Eucalyptus, Olea, Zizphus and Conocarpus studied, showed higher heavy metals concentration (Zn, Cu and Pb) than rural area. The results indicated that the Zizphus and Conocarpus leaves of urban and rural area had the lowest heavy metals content compared with Eucalyptus and Olea. The results suggested that Eucalyptus and Olea leaves are good sources to treat the pollution of heavy metals. Our study provides a detailed examination of habitat location and plant species effects on potential of heavy metals in trees.