Potential Efficiency of Wild Plant Species (Pluchea dioscoridis (L.) DC.) for Phytoremediation of Trace Elements on Contaminated Locations

The current study outlines the potential of wild plant species (Pluchea dioscoridis (L.) DC.) for the phytoremediation of trace elements (TEs) such as Pb, Cd, Zn, Mn, and Cu at various contaminated locations: an industrial area (S1); a residential area with a high traffic load (S2); and a rural area (S3). Data showed that the photosynthetic pigments and flavonoids decreased significantly at S1, at which TEs accumulated with high concentrations. This drop in chlorophyll concentration reflects foliar damage caused by TE contamination. The carotenoids/chlorophyll index (Car/Chl) ratio showed non-significant variations for all studied spheres. High values of chlorophyll ratio (a/b) were also recorded in plant leaves which faced TE stress. The translocation factors (TF); enrichment coefficient for root (ECR); and shoot (ECS) varied clearly among the TEs as well as the studied sites, proving the ability of the plant to carry out phytoremediation of Pb, Cd, and Zn. The highest values of the metal accumulation index (MAI) were recorded at S1. Significant positive correlations for the pairs Cd and Pb in soil versus P. dioscoridis tissues indicated its usefulness as a phytoextraction strategy for these elements. The management of residential and rural areas should be exploiting the natural wild phytoremediation potential of this plant.