Analysis of Soil As Pollution and Investigation of Dominant Plants in Abandon Gold Mining Area

Abstract

Soil arsenic (As) pollution in mining areas have seriously affected the surrounding environment and human health. To explore the degree of soil As contamination and phytoremediation strategies, a study was undertaken to identify suitable native plants for the phytoremediation in mining area. Geo-accumulation index and potential ecological risk index were sed to assess the As pollution degree. As content in dominant plants was analyzed by enrichment coefficient. The results show that (1) The pulp deposition area had the most serious As pollution of soil and the largest potential ecological risk index. (2) The composition of the plant community in the study area was dominated by herbaceous plants, among which gramineous, composites and legumes are the dominant plant types in the vegetation community restoration in the mining area. (3) The plant species diversity was lower in As polluted area. (4) The plants with strong As enrichment ability were Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers., Periploca sepium Bunge, and Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv., which can be considered as As-repair plants. This study can provide a basis and reference for phytoremediation and ecological restoration of As contamination in mining areas.