Uptake of uranium by native aquatic plants: potential for bioindication and phytoremediation

¹ Department of Geology, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, PORTUGAL
² Department of Earth Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, PORTUGAL
³ IMAR-CMA Marine and Environmental Research Centre, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, PORTUGAL

^a pjcf@utad.pt

Abstract

The work presented here is a part the on going study on the uraniferous geochemical province of Central Portugal in which, the use of aquatic plants as indicators of uranium contamination is being probed using aquatic plants emphasizing their potential use in the emerging phytotechnologies. Even though we have observed very low concentration of U in the fresh waters of the studied sites we found a set of vegetable species with the ability to accumulate U in concentrations which are orders of magnitude higher than the surrounding environment. We have observed that Apium nodiflorum, Callitriche stagnalis, Lemna minor and Fontinalis antipyretica accumulated significant amounts of uranium, whereas Oenanthe crocata excluded U. These results indicate substantial scope for proper radiophytoremediation and phytosociological investigation exploiting the native flora. These species show great potential for phytoremediation because they are endemic and easy to grow in their native conditions. A. nodiflorum and C. stagnalis have high bioproductivity and yield good biomass.