Study of Lead (Pb) and Nickel (Ni) mobility in plants from the steppe region of Djelfa

Abstract

This study investigates how lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) move and accumulate in plants collected from two locations in the Djelfa region. The concentrations of these heavy metals were measured in both the soil and plant samples and compared to global reference levels. To understand how the metals move within plants, translocation factors (TF) were calculated, and bioconcentration factors (BCF) were used to assess how efficiently the plants absorbed metals from the soil. The analysis showed that lead levels in the soil were lower than the global natural range. Nickel concentrations, on the other hand, were within the typical global range. Notably, there were clear differences between the two locations in how the metals moved through the plants. In Ain Oussera, both Pb and Ni showed high translocation factors (Pb: 5.11, Ni: 2.75), indicating strong movement from roots to shoots. In contrast, plants from Djelfa had TF values below 1 (Pb: 0.63, Ni: 0.61), suggesting limited upward movement of these metals. When it came to accumulation, only one BCF value stood out: Pb in Djelfa had a BCF of 1.394, meaning plants there were actively taking up and storing Pb. All other BCF values were below 1, indicating lower accumulation. These results highlight how heavy metal behavior in plants can vary significantly between locations, offering important clues about environmental quality and potential risks for agriculture in these areas.