Potential of Lavender (Lavandula vera L.) for Phytoremediation of Soils Contaminated with Heavy Metals

A field study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of lavender for phytoremediation of contaminated soils. The experiment was performed on an agricultural fields contaminated by the Non-Ferrous-Metal Works near Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The concentrations of Pb, Zn and Cd in lavender (roots, stems, leaves and inflorescences) and in the essential oils of lavender were determined. Lavender is a plant which is tolerant to heavy metals and can be grown on contaminated soils, and which can be referred to the hyperaccumulators of lead and the accumulators of cadmium and zinc, and can be successfully used in the phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils. Favorable is also the fact that heavy metals do not influence the development of the lavender, as well as on the quality and quantity of the essential oil. The possibility of further industrial processing will make lavender economically interesting crops for farmers of phytoextraction technology.

Authors:

• Violina R. Angelova
• Dimitar F. Grekov
• Veselin K. Kisyov
• Krasimir I. Ivanov

Keywords:

• Heavy metals
• lavender
• phytoremediation
• polluted soils.

References:

[1] S.P. McGrath, J. R. Sanders and M.H. Shabaly, “The effects of soil
organic matter levels on soil solution concentrations and extractabilities
of manganese, zinc and copper”, Geoderma, vol. 42, pp.177-188, 1988.
[2] D. E. Salt, R. D. Smith and I. Raskin, “Phytoremediation”, Annu. Rev.
Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol., vol. 49, pp. 643-668, 1998.
[3] L. Q. Ma, K. M. Komar and C. Tu, “A fern that accumulates arsenic”,
Nature, vol. 409, pp. 579-584, 2001.
[4] D. E. Salt, and U. Kramer, “Mechanisms of metal hyperaccumulation in
plants”, in Phytoremediation of toxic metals: using plants to clean-up
the environment, I. Raskin and B.D. Ensley, Eds. John Wiley and Sons,
Inc., New York. 2000, pp. 231-246.
[5] S. D. Ebbs, M. M. Lasat, D.J. Brandy, J. Cornish, R. Gordon, and L. V.
Kochian, “Heavy metals in the environment: Phytoextraction of
cadmium and zinc from a contaminated soil”, Journal of Environmental
Quality, vol. 26, pp. 1424-1430, 1997.
[6] S. D. Ebbs, and L. V. Kochian, “Phytoextraction of zinc by oat (Avena
sativa), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and Indian mustard (Brassica
juncea)”, Environmental Science and Technology, vol. 32, no. 6, pp.
802-806, 1998.
[7] S. Kirkova, Y. Dyulgerski and T. Milanova, “Properties of new varieties
and lines Burley tobacco investigation on consumables”, Bulgarian
Journal of Agricultural Science, vol. 20, pp. 643-646, 2014.
[8] H. Bozukov, S. Kirkova and P. Zaprjanova, “Study of technologically
unusable tobacco waste and practical solutions for its recovery”,
Тутун/Tobaccо, vol. 62, pp.109-114, 2014.
[9] Y. Dyulgerski, S. Kirkova and T.Milanova, “Comparative analysis of
Expert evaluation and Chemical composition of Varieties and lines
Burley Tobacco”, Agricultural Science, vol. 46, pp.47-53, 2013.
[10] S. Pandeliev, L. Angelov, B. Stalev, M. Papanikolau, “Szanse
ekologicznej uprawy winorosli w poludniowych winiarskich regionach
bulgarii”, in Proc. IV Ogolnopolska Konferencja Winiarska. Nowosci w
uprawie winorosli I produkcji win, Sulechow, 2010, pp. 99-109.
[11] A. J. M. Baker, S. P. McGrath and C. M. D. Sidoli, “The possibility of in
situ heavy metal decontamination of polluted soils using crops of metalaccumulating
plants”, Resour Conserv Recycl., vol.11, pp. 41–49, 1994.
[12] M. S. Abu-Darwish, “Essential Oils and Heavy Metals Content of Some
Aromatic Medicinal Plants Grown in Ash-Shoubak Region, South of
Jordan”, Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment, vol. 7, 3-4, pp.
920-924, 2009.
[13] V. Angelova, “Potential of some medicinal and aromatic plants for
phytoremedation of soils contaminated with heavy metals”, Аgricultural
Science, vol. 11, pp. 61-66, 2012.
[14] V. D. Zheljazkov, L. E. Craker, and X. Baoshan, “Effects of Cd, Pb and
Cu on growth and essential oil contents in dill pepper mint, and basil”,
Environ. Exp. Bot., vol. 58, pp. 9−16, 2006.
[15] V. D. Zheljazkov, and N. E. Nielsen, “Studies on the effect of heavy
metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Mn, Zn and Fe) upon the growth, productivity and
quality of lavander (Lavandula angustifolia Mill) production”. J.
Essential Oil Res., vol. 8, no.3, pp. 259-274, 1996.
[16] R. B. Bağdat, and E. M. Eid, “Phytoremedation behaviour of some
medicinal and aromatic plants to various pollutants”, Journal of Field
Crops Central Research Institute, vol. 16, no.1-2, pp. 1-10, 2007.
[17] Anonimous, ISO 11466, Soil quality - Extraction of trace elements
soluble in aqua regia, 1995.
[18] K. Peng, X. Li, C. Luo, and Z. Shen, “Vegetation composition and
heavy metal uptake by wild plants at three contaminated sites in Xiangxi
area, China”, Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A, vol.
40, pp. 65-76, 2006.
[19] M. S. Liphadzi, and M. B. Kirkham, “Phytoremediation of soil
contaminated with heavy metals: a technology for rehabilitation of the
environment”, South African Journal of Botany, vol. 71, pp.24–37,
2005.
[20] W. Rosselli, C. Keller, and K. Boschi, “Phytoextraction capacity of tree
growing on a metal contaminated soil”, Plant Soil., vol. 256, pp. 265–
272, 2003.
[21] A. Kabata-Pendias, Trace Elements in Soils and Plants. CRC Press
LLC, Boca Raton, 2011, pp.505.
[22] N. Mganga, M. L. K. Manoko, and Z. K. Rulangaranga, “Classification
of plants according to their heavy metal content around North Mara gold
mine, Tanzania: implication for phytoremediation”, Tanz. J. Sci., vol.
37, pp. 109- 119, 2011.
[23] A.J. M. Baker and P. L. Walker, “Ecophysiology of metal uptake by
tolerant plants: Heavy metal tolerance in plants”, in Evolutionary
Aspects, A.J. Shaw, Ed. CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1990, pp.150-177.
[24] S. P. McGrath, and F. J. Zhao, “Phytoextraction of metals and metalloids
from contaminated soils”, Current Opinion in Biotechnology, vol. 14,
pp. 277–282, 2003.
[25] Anonimous, ISO 3515:2012, Lavander Oil Quality Standarts Oil of
lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.), 2002.
[26] E. Georgiev, Distillation and extraction of essential oil processing raw
materials and opportunities for intensifying them. Dissertation DSc.,
Plovdiv, 1988, pp.189.
[27] M. D. Guillen, N. Cabo, J. Burillo, “Characterisation of the essential oils
of some cultivated aromatic plants of industrial interest”, Journal of the
Science of Food &Agriculture, vol.70, pp.359-363, 1996.
[28] A. Wesolowska, D. Jadczak, M. Grzeszczuk, “Influence of distillation
time on the content and composition of essential oil isolated from
lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.)”, Herba Polonica, vol. 6, pp.
24-36, 2010.
[29] R. P. Adams, and T. Yanke, “Material review: Kashmir Lavender Oil”,
Perf. Flav., vol. 32, pp. 40-43, 2007.
[30] H. J. A. Badjah, B. Y. Meklati, H. M. Guermouche, K. Abdeddaim, and
H. M. J. Richard. “Analyse quantitative dhۥ uiles essentielles de lavandes
cultivees en Algerie”, Riv. It. Eppos, vol. 62, no. 6, pp. 293-296, 1980.
[31] J. Touche, M. Derbesy, and J. R. Linas. “Mailletes et lavandes fines
francaises”. Riv. It. Eppos, vol. 63, no.6, pp.320-323, 1981.
[32] B. Lavande, “Lavander, lavandin and other french oils”, Perf. Fl., vol. 9,
no.2, pp. 117-121, 1984.
[33] B. M. Laurence, “Progress in Essential Oils. Lavender Oil”, Perf. Fl.,
vol.12, no.6, pp. 64-70, 1987.
[34] S. Stanev, “Qualitative composition of the essential oil obtained from
the seed populations of the genus Lavandula angustifolia Mill”, in Proc.
International Science conference, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, pp.125-129,
2009.
[35] E. Stoyanov, and Т. Paunkova, “Comparative assessment of the
economic qualities of lavender varieties with a view to their cultivation
in industrial lavender array”, in Proceedings II National Conference
Problems of perfume and cosmetics production, Varna, 1976, pp. 377-
383.
[36] D. Dimitrov, “Opportunities for obtaining optimal mixtures of
odoriferous substances - fragrance and typified lots of lavender oil”,
Thesis, Plovdiv, 1986, pp.180.
[37] J. Bowles, The chemistry of aromatherapeutic oils. Allen and Unwin,
2003, pp.164-165.
[38] N. Kara, and H. Baydar, “Determination of lavender and lavandin
cultivars (Lavandula sp.) containing high quality essential oil in Isparta,
Turkey”, Turkish Journal of Field Crops, vol. 18, no.1, pp.58-65, 2013.
[39] V. Pitman, Aromatherapy: a practical approach. Nelson Thornes, 2004,
pp.111.
[40] Ch.Sell, The Chemistry of Fragrances. From Perfumer to Consumer.
RSC Publishing, 2006, pp.43.
[41] G. Zhekova, and N. Nedkov, “Quantitative changes in major
components of lavender oil during the distillation process”, Agric. Sci.
Technol., vol. 2, 26-28, 2010.
[42] G. Flores, G. P. Blanch, M. L. Ruiz del Castillo, and M. Herraiz,
“Enantiomeric composition studies in Lavandula species using
supercritical fluids”, J. Separ. Sci., vol. 28, pp. 2333-2338, 2008.
[43] R. G. Berger, Flavours and Fragrances. Chemistry, Bioprocessing and
Sustainability. Springer, 2007, pp.400-403. [44] S. D. Cox, C. M. Mann, J. L. Markham, J. E. Gustafson, I. R.
Warmington, and S. G. Wylie, “Determining the anti- bacterial actions
of Tea Tree Oil”, Molecules, vol. 6, pp. 87-91, 2001.