Determination of heavy metals and trace element contents in Veronica grisebachii S. M. WALTERS

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the concentrations of Al (aluminum), Ba (barium), Co (cobalt), Cr (chromium), Cu (copper), Fe (iron), Mn (manganese), Ni (nickel), Pb (lead), S (sulphur), and Zn (zinc) in soil and Veronica grisebachii S. M. WALTERS samples. The research focused on the heavy metal and essential nutrition element contents of these plant species. Plant samples were collected from southeastern Aksaray province, Türkiye, at the geographical coordinates 38°13'54.5"N 34°08'28.8" E and an elevation of 1276 m above sea level. Standard methods were used to determine the plant (root, stem, and leaf parts) and soil elements. The numerical values of essential elements and heavy metals in the species were quantified using ICP-MS. XRF device was also used to determine the elements in the soil. The results showed that the amounts of Cr, Cu, Fe Pb, S, and Zn in the soil were within the optimum range, while the concentrations of Al, Co, Mn, and Ni were above the optimum values. The levels of Al, Co, Mn, and Ni in the soil of the plant's natural habitat were above the reference values. This species has a high capacity to absorb and accumulate heavy metals such as Al, Co, Mn, and Ni from the soil.

Keywords

• Heavy metals
• ICP-MS
• trace elements
• Türkiye
• Veronica

References

1. Agac, H., Erdogan, G., & Yalcin, F. S. (2024). Effect of thermal power plant fly ash at different application levels on plant growth parameters of wheat. Osmaniye Korkut Ata University Journal of The Institute of Science and Technology, 7(1), 276-293.
2. Ahamad, S.R., Raish, M., Ahmad A., & Shakeel, F. (2017). Potential health benefits and metabolomics of camel milk by GC-MS and ICP-MS. Biological Trace Element Research, 175, 322–330.
3. Akman Y. (2011). Climate and bioclimate. (pp. 1-352). Palme Publications.
4. Aksaray Governorship, (2024). Geographical Structure, http:// www.aksaray.gov.tr/, Last accessed on January 20, 2024.
5. Akyazi, N. (2019). Linking urban open and green spaces with ecological zones: Aksaray sample, Master’s Dissertation, (pp. 1-101). Aksaray University.
6. Angon, P. B., Islam, M. S., Kc, S., Das, A., Anjum, N., Poudel, A., & Suchi, S. A. (2024). Sources, effects and present perspectives of heavy metals contamination: Soil, plants and human food chain. Heliyon. 10(7), 1-15.
7. Barker A. V., & Pilbeam, D. J. (2007). Handbook of plant nutrition. (pp. 1-613). Boca Raton, USA: CRC Press. Baser, M. (2014). Flora of Elmacık, Kocpınar and Incesu villages and environment (Aksaray), Master's Dissertation, (pp. 1-105). Aksaray University.
8. Black, C. A. (1965). Methods of Soil Analysis: Part I, Physical and Mineralogical Properties. (pp. 1-1572). Madison, Wisconsin, American Society of Agronomy.

9. Blum, W. E. H., Horak, O., & Mentler, A. (2014). Trace Elements. Oxford, UK.: Environmental and ecological chemistry, Sabljic a. (Éditeur). Encyclopedia of life support systems (EOLSS), developed under the auspices of the UNESCO.
10. Caglar, K. O. (1949). Soil Science. Ankara University, Ziraat Publications.
11. Davis, P. H., Edmondson J. R., Mill, R. R., & Parris, B. S. (1978). Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands. Volume 6, (pp. 1-825). Edinburgh University Press.
12. Demir, A., Baysal Furtana, G., Tekşen, M., & Tıpırdamaz, R. (2021). Determination of the heavy metal contents and the benefit/cost analysis of Hypericum salsugineum in the vicinity of Salt Lake. Sains Malaysiana, 50(12), 3493-3503.
13. Doganay, S., & Eskin B. (2018). Urban transformation applications in Aksaray province. Aksaray University Journal of the Faculty of Economics and Adminıstrative Sciences, 10(4), 45-54.
14. Donmez, A. H., & Yildiz, O. (2023). Survival and growth success of Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.), salt cedar (Tamarix smyrnensis Bunge) and white poplar (Populus alba L.) in gypsum and sulfur applied salt-sodic sites in Central Anatolia. Anatolian Journal of Forest Research, 9(2), 184-194.
15. Ghosh, M., & Singh, S. P. (2005). Comparative uptake and phytoextraction study of soil induced chromium by accumulator and high biomass weed species. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 3(2), 67-79.
16. Hai, Y., Qian, Y., Yang, M., Zhang, Y., Xu, H., Yang, Y., & Xia, C. (2024). The chloroplast genomes of two medicinal species (Veronica anagallis-aquatica L. and Veronica undulata Wall.) and its comparative analysis with related Veronica species. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 13945.
17. Jones, C., & Jacobsen, J. (2005). Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility. Nutrient management module 2. Montana State University Extension Service. Publication 4449-2.
18. Kabata-Pendias, A., & Pendias, H. (2001). Trace elements in soils and plants. (pp. 1-432). Boca-Raton, USA: CRC Press.
19. Kabata-Pendias, A., & Mukherjee, A. B. (2007). Trace Elements from Soil to Human. (pp. 1-576). New York, USA: Springer Science and Business Media.
20. Kacar, B., & Katkat, V. (2010). Plant nutrition. (pp. 1-659) Kızılay-Ankara, Türkiye: 5th Edition, Nobel Publication. Kalkan, M., & Terzi, M.H. (2023). Assessment of heavy metal pollution of the soils in the southwest of Aksaray City. Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Journal of Science and Engineering, 4(2), 219-231. https://doi.org/10.53501/rteufemud.1360204.
21. Kiraz, S.E. (2013). Flora of Mamasın Dam Surrounding (Aksaray), Master's Dissertation, (pp. 1-105). Aksaray University.
22. MGM, (2023). The Official Website of Turkish State Meteorological Service, https://www.mgm.gov.tr/veridegerlendirme/il-ve-ilceler-istatistik.aspx?k=A&m=AKSARAY, Last accessed on November 30, 2023.
23. Phuong, H. T., Ba, V. N., Thien, B. N., & Hong, L. T. T. (2023). Accumulation and distribution of nutrients, radionuclides and metals by roots, stems and leaves of plants. Nuclear Engineering and Technology, 55(7), 2650-2655.
24. Pugazhendhi, A., Govindasamy, C., & Sharma, A. (2024). Heavy metal accumulation in root and shoot tapioca plant biomass grown in agriculture land situated around the magnesite mine tailings. Environmental Research, 257, 1-9.
25. Olsen, S.R., & Sommers, L. E. (1982). Phosphorus, In: Page, A. L., et al., (eds). Methods of Soil Analysis (Part 2). Chemical and Microbiological Properties. (pp. 1-320). American Society of Agronomy.
26. Osma, E., Varol, T., & Elveren, M. (2023). Determination of concentration of some heavy metals (Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Pb) in plants growing from different habitats (Gypsum, Limestone, Serpentine). Osmaniye Korkut Ata University Journal of The Institute of Science and Technology, 6(2), 1562-1578.
27. Ozbay, S., Dikici, E., & Soylukan, C. (2023). Evaluation of biological (feed, water), seasonal, and geological factors affecting the heavy metal content of raw milk. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 121, 105401.
28. Oztunca, H. (2009). Pharmacognostical investigations on Veronica cuneifolia D. Don subsp. cuneifolia and Veronica cymbalaria Bodard, Master’s Dissertation, (pp. 1-188). Hacettepe University.
29. Ozyigit, I. I., Dogan, I., Demir, G., Eskin, B., Keskin, M., & Yalçın, I. E. (2013). Distribution of some elements in Veronica scutellata L. from Bolu, Turkey: soil-plant interactions. Sains Malaysiana, 42(10), 1403-1407.
30. Ozyigit, I. I. (2021). Heavy metals in agricultural soils; origins, distribution and effects. Necmettin Erbakan University Eregli Journal of Agricultural Science, 1(1), 46-72.
31. Salehi, B., Shivaprasad Shetty, M., V. Anil Kumar, N., Živković, J., Calina, D., Oana Docea, A., ... & Sharifi-Rad, J. (2019). Veronica plants—Drifting from farm to traditional healing, food application, and phytopharmacology. Molecules, 24(13), 2454, 1-35.
32. Turkish Plants Data Service, (2023). Veronica grisebachii S. M. WALTERS. http://194.27.225.161/yasin/tubives/index.php?sayfa=1&tax_id=7214, Last accessed on August 23, 2023.
33. Turkish Statistical Institute, (2024). Population of province/district centers and towns/villages and annual population growth rate by province, 2021, 2022, https://data.tuik.gov.tr/Bulten/Index?p=The-Results-of-Address-Based-Population-Registration-System-2022-49685&dil=2, Last accessed on January 20, 2024.
34. Ulukus, D., & Tugay, O. (2008). The flora of region among Urgup, Derinkuyu and Hodul Mountain (Nevsehir/Turkey). Biological Diversity and Conservation, 7(3), 42-57.
35. Uygur, A. (2014). The flora of area between the towns of Karaoren-Yuva-Karkın (Aksaray), Master's Dissertation, (pp. 1-109). Aksaray University.
36. Yaylaci, O. K., Sezer, O., Ozgisi, K., Ozturk, D., Erkara, I. P., Koyuncu, O., & Ocak, A. (2018). A new Veronica (Plantaginaceae) species from central Anatolia, Turkey. Phytotaxa, 362(1), 55-67.
37. Yazicioglu, H., Hocaoglu-Ozyigit, A., Ucar, B., Yolcu, S., Yalcin, I. E., Suner, S., & Ozyigit, I. I. (2024). Physiological alterations and genotoxic damage under combined aluminum and cadmium treatments in Bryophyllum daigremontianum clones. Molecular biology reports, 51(1), 1-21.