DefinePK

Abstract

Background and Objective Determination of heavy metal concentrations in plants and soil is a significant exercise due to its importance in diagnosing the issue and developing environmental and forestry strategies. The main aim is to determine the variation of heavy accumulation depending on plant type in some coniferous species used in afforestation in the city of Kastamonu. Materials and Methods An analytical quantitative technique ICP-OES Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy is used for the determination of the number of heavy metals in samples obtained from different plant species. Cr, Ni, Fe, Mg, Cu, Ca, Zn, Mn, Pb and Cd concentrations are determined. Results The results of the research demonstrated that most of the species recorded high concentrations of heavy metal, which is attributed to the closeness of the sampling location to a heavy traffic road. Anatolian black pine had the lowest concentrations in five out of the ten heavy metals, followed by Picea pungens with three. Thuja orientalis had the highest concentrations in four out of the ten heavy metals. Conclusion Out of the several species tested for heavy metal concentrations in this research, certain species showed significantly higher concentrations than others. The overall high concentrations of heavy metals within the tested samples is attributed to the closeness of the sampled plants from roads and highways.