Heavy metal concentrations (Cd, Cu and Pb) in five aquatic plant species in Tasik Chini, Malaysia

The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of heavy metals namely cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) in the five aquatic plants. For this purpose, the concentration of heavy metals were measured in water and in the five aquatic plant species, Lepironia articulata, Pandanus helicopus, Scirpus grossus, Cabomba furcata and Nelumbo nucifera, in 15 sites from Tasik Chini. The concentrations were different among the plant species as well as among the parts of plants. The highest concentration of heavy metals among the aquatic plants and plant parts was found in the roots of S. grossus. The concentrations of Cd in the leaves and stems of submerged aquatic plant, C. furcata, were higher than concentration of Cd in the leaves and stems of emergent aquatic plant and floating leaf plant. The concentration of Cu in the stem of C. furcata was greater than that in the leaf, while the concentration of Cd was more in the leaf than in the stem. The heavy metal contents of the aquatic plants were in descending order of Pb > Cu > Cd. The metal concentration quotient of leaves/roots and stems/roots (ML/MR and MS/MR) were calculated. The highest internal translocation was found in P. helicopus, while the lowest internal translocation was found in S. grossus.