Studies on Trace Metals in Soils and Plants Growing in the Vicinity of Copper Mining Area - Lefke, Cyprus

Abstract

Soil and plant samples were taken from different areas around the tailing ponds of CMC (Cyprus Copper Mines), an abandoned site from the Lefke region of Cyprus. The determination of the trace metals was carried out using a Varian ICP-AES. In the soils supporting these plants, the values varied between 1.4000-25.380 (Fe++); 43-217 (Zn++); 0-67 (Pb++); 1-8 (Cd++); 0.77-28.60 (Cu++); 20-89 (Ni++); 0.05-0.29 (Cr++) mu g/g dry weight. In the above-ground parts of the plants, the concentrations varied between 275-4,120 (Fe); 9.5-67 (Zn); 0-13 (Pb); 0-4 (Cd); 0.12-1.85 (Cu); 10-18 (Ni); 0.11-0.28 (Cr) mu g/g. The values in the soils are higher than that in above ground parts. These results show that there are serious trace metal problems in the soil, and these keep on accumulating in the plants in the vicinity of tailing ponds.