Kamel Khalil (¹)*, Hajar Nasser (²) and Salim Mahmoud (3)
(1). Department of Environmental Prevention, Higher Institute for En, Lattakia, Syria. environmental Research, Tishreen University. Lattaki, Syria
(2). Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.
(3). Department of Environmental Chemistry, Higher Institute for Environmental Research, Tishreen, University, Lattakia, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Kamel Khalil. E-mail: d.kamelkhalil@tishreen.edu.sy).
Received: 11/12/2021 Accepted:28/03/2022
Abstract:
This study aimed to estimate the concentration of heavy metal elements: lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) in the leaves of Nerium oleander L. planted in the city of Jableh during the spring and autumn of the year 2020. Leaves samples were collected from five locations (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5), varying according to the traffic density. The concentrations of heavy metals were determined by using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer at the Higher Institute for Environmental Research. The results showed that the order of elemental concentrations (general average) in ppm in leaves of oleander shrubs was as follows: In the spring: Zn (37.55) > Cu (10.76) > Ni (9.24) > Pb (0.87) > Cd (0.08). In the autumn season: Zn (33.20) > Cu (16.12) > Ni (12.82) > Pb (1.34) > Cd (0.11) and the concentration of elements was higher in autumn compared to spring except for zinc. The results also showed that the values of elements were within The normal limits except for nickel and the site S3 ()bus station) was characterized by high values for all elements in general, especially in the autumn. A positive significant correlation was also recorded between lead and cadmium in both seasons (spring and autumn).As a result; it can be suggested to adopt the oleander shrubs as an accumulator for the estimation of pollution caused by heavy metal elements in the city of Jableh.
Keywords: Nerium oleander L. – bioaccumulator – heavy metals – Jableh (Syria).
Full paper in Arabic: pdf