Evidence for Heavy Metal Accumulation in Native Australian Plants

Abstract

This study investigated the accumulation of toxic heavy metals in native vegetation when grown on mine tailings and determined potential exposure pathways to animals and humans. Analytical chemistry techniques were employed by using spectroscopy and electrochemistry to determine heavy metal quantities in plants, soil and water, which was able to determine the persistence of heavy metals in soil and that plants were bioaccumulating higher concentrations of heavy metals when grown in or nearby mine tailings.