Metal extraction competence of plants on waste dumps of magnesite mine, Salem District, South India

This ex-situ study aims to assess the metal extractive potential of fourteen agriculture plants (Vigna unguiculata, Gossypium hirsutum, Jatropha curcas, etc.). It was conducted on Magnesite mines which had above permissible levels of Cadmium and Lead. There was no significant difference in the total chlorophyll a and b, carbohydrate and protein contents in the plants grown in the mining soil and adjacent control area (farm soil). While considering the phytoextractive potential, out of the 14 plants studied, V. ungiculata, O. sativa, S. bicolour, S. indium, R. communis, M. uniflorum, G. hirsutum and J. curcas contained a considerable amount of heavy metals Cd and Pb other test plants. The experiment confirms that these plants have the potential to accumulate the toxic trace elements from soil, especially from mining waste or dump. Further studies deal with metal tolerant index, metal transfer factor, translocation factor and MREI index values auger their potential phyto-extractive properties. The present study will pave the way for in-depth related studies in future.