Vol. 337 No. 10 (2026)
DOI https://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2026/10/5989
Phytoremediation potential of wild plants in the territory of a gold mining enterprise
Relevance. Phytoremediation is the most relevant and popular method of soil purification from pollution. However, in addition to the ability of plants to accumulate metals, it is necessary to take into account their adaptability to growing conditions. Therefore, information on native plant species with wide adaptability is important. Screening of plants in metal-bearing areas will help identify plant species that are optimal for phytoremediation. Aim. To study the accumulation capacity of plants growing on the territory of the mining enterprise JSC Pokrovsky Rudnik (Pioner gold deposit, Amur Region) in relation to polluting elements. Methods. The elemental composition of soils, grounds, plants and the content of mobile forms of soils were determined using atomic emission and mass spectral methods. Results. The authors have identified the following pollutant elements: As, S, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Cd, Sb, Te, W, Pb, Bi, requiring closer attention in the territory of the mining enterprise of JSC Pokrovsky Rudnik. The predominant pollutant is As. The ability of native plant species to enrichment was studied using accumulation factors and the actual biogeochemical mobility of elements. As a result of the correlation analysis between the content of elements in plant samples and their mobile forms in soils, it was found that plants growing on technogenically transformed soils have barrier mechanisms for the absorption of As, Sb, Pb, Bi, Co, Cr, Ni and Cu. A number of plant species were identified as potential remediants of contaminated soils in the territory of the mining complex, due to their ability to accumulate toxic elements without damaging their normal physiological state, adaptation to the harsh climate of the region, and altered soil conditions.
For citation: Radomskaya V.I., Pavlova L.M., Shumilova L.P., Lyapunov M.Yu., Yusupov D.V. Phytoremediation potential of wild plants in the territory of a gold mining enterprise. Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Assets Engineering, 2026, vol. 337, no. 10, pp. 117–131. http://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2026/10/5989
Keywords:
accumulation, wild plants, mining enterprise, metalloids, heavy metals, phytoremediation
References:
1. Sodhi K.K., Mishra L.C., Singh C.K., Kumar M. Perspective on the heavy metal pollution and recent remediation strategies. Curr. Res. Microb. Sci., 2022, no. 3, p. 100166.
2. Azizi M., Faz A., Zornoza R., Martinez-Martinez S., Acosta, J. A. Phytoremediation potential of native plant species in mine soils polluted by metal(loid)s and rare earth elements. Plants, 2023, no. 12, p. 1219.
3. Peralta-Videa J.R., Lopez M.L., Narayana M., Saupe G., Gardea-Torresdey J. The biochemistry of environmental heavy metal uptake by plants: implications for the food chain. The international journal of biochemistry and cell biology, 2009, vol. 41, pp. 1665–1677.
4. Raskin I., Smith R.D., Salt D.E. Phytoremediation of metals: using plants to remove pollutants from the environment. Plant biotechnology, 1997, vol. 8, pp. 221–226.
5. Naprasnikov A.T., Bogoyavlensky B.A., Bufal A.V., Kirichenko V.V., Avseev V.V., Dombrovsky I.A. Hydroclimatic resources of the Amur region. Blagoveshchensk, Khabarovsk book publishing house, Amur branch, 1983. 70 p. (In Russ.)
6. IUSS Working Group WRB. World Reference Base for Soil Resources. International soil classification system for naming soils and creating legends for soil maps. 4th ed. International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS). Vienna. Austria, 2022. 236 p.
7. Stepanov V.A. Geology of gold, silver and mercury. P. 2. Gold and mercury of the Amur province. Vladivostok, Dalnauka Publ., 2000. 161 p. (In Russ.)
8. Radomskaya V.I., Pavlova L.M., Moiseenko N.V., Lyapunov M.Yu., Yusupov D.V. Assessment of soil cover geochemical composition in the technogenically altered territory of the Pioneer gold deposit (Upper Amur region). Rus. J. Geochemistry International, 2025, vol. 63, no. 2, pp. 190–208.
9. SS 12536-2014. Soils. Methods of laboratory determination of granulometric (grain) and microaggregate composition. Moscow, Standartinform Publ., 2015. 22 p. (In Russ.)
10. Minkina T.M., Mandzhieva S.S., Chaplygin V.A., Burachevskaya M.V., Bauer T.V., Sushkova S.N., Nevidomskaya D.G., Motuzova G.V. Effect of aerotechnogenic emissions on the content of heavy metals in herbaceous plants of the Lower Don region. Rus. J. Eurasian Soil Science, 2017, vol. 50, no. 6, pp. 746–755.
11. Terentyev A.T. Soils of the Amur Region and their agricultural use. Vladivostok, Far Eastern Book Publ. House, 1969. 262 p. (In Russ.)
12. Clemente R., Walker D. J., Roig A., Bernal M. P. Heavy metal bioavailability in a soil affected by mineral sulphides contamination following the mine spillage at aznalcóllar (Spain). Biodegradation, 2003, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 199–205.
13. Orlov D.S., Sadovnikova L.K., Sukhanova N.I. Soil chemistry. Moscow, Vysshaya shkola Publ. 2005. 560 p. (In Russ.)
14. Rudnick R.L., Gao S. Composition of the continental crust. Treatise on Geochemistry. Oxford: Elsevier, 2014. pp. 1–51.
15. SanPiN 1.2.3685-21. Hygienic standards and requirements for ensuring the safety and (or) harmlessness of environmental factors for humans. (In Russ.) Available at: https://docs.cntd.ru/document/573500115#6560IO (accessed 13 August 2021).
16. Kowalska J.B., Mazurek R., Gasiorek M., Zaleski T. Pollution indices as useful tools for the comprehensive evaluation of the degree of soil contamination. A review. Environmental Geochemistry Health, 2018, vol. 40, pp. 2395–2420.
17. Radomskaya V.I., Pavlova L.M., Shumilova L.P., Voropaeva E.N., Osipova N.A. Predictive assessment of toxicants’ migration from technogenic gold mining wastes (case study of the tailings management facility of Tokur mill, Amur region, Russia). Environmental Earth Sciences, 2021, vol. 80, p. 771.
18. Minkina T.M., Motuzova G.V., Nazarenko O.G. Composition of heavy metal compounds in soils. Rostov-on-Don, Southern Federal University Publ., 2009. 208 p. (In Russ.)
19. Siromlya T.I., Burachevskaya M.V., Mandzhieva S.S., Minkina T.M., Chernikova N.P., Barakhov A.V., Chaplygin V.A. Fractional and group composition of Cr, Ni, and Mn compounds in the main types of soils in background and contaminated areas in the forest-steppe zone in novosibirsk oblast. Eurasian soil science, 2025, vol. 58, no. 2, pp. 1–15.
20. Jieng-feng P., Yong-hui S., Peng Y., Xiao-yu C., Guang-lei Q. Remediation of heavy metal contaminated sediment. Journal of hazardous materials, 2009, vol. 161, pp. 633–640.
21. Rahman Md.S., Reza A.H.M.S., Siddique Md.A.B., Akbor Md.A., Hasan M. Accumulation of arsenic and other metals in soil and human consumable foods of Meherpur district, southwestern Bangladesh, and associated health risk assessment. Environmental Sciences Europe, 2023, vol. 35, p. 47.
22. Kabata-Pendias A., Pendias H. Microelements in soils and plants. Moscow, Mir Publ., 1989. 439 p. (In Russ.)
23. Han L., Zhai Y., Chen R., Fan Y., Liu Z., Zhao Y., Li R., Xia L. Characteristics of soil arsenic contamination and the potential of pioneer plants for arsenic remediation in gold mine tailings. Toxics, 2023, vol. 11, p. 1025.
24. Тripathi R.D., Srivastava S., Mishra S., Singh N., Tuli R., Gupta D.K., Frans J.M. Maathuis. Arsenic hazards: strategies for tolerance and remediation by plants. Trends Biotechnology, 2007, vol. 25, pp. 158–165.
25. Meharg A.A., Hartley-Whitaker J. Arsenic uptake and metabolism in arsenic resistant and nonresistant plant species. New Phytologist, 2002, vol. 154, no. 1, pp. 29–43.
26. Dovletyarova E.A., Dubrovina T.A., Vorobeichik E.L., Krutyakov Yu.A., Santa-Cruz J., Yáñez C., Neaman A. Zinc’s role in mitigating copper toxicity for plants and microorganisms in industrially contaminated soils: a review. Russian journal of ecology, 2023, vol. 54, no. 6, pp. 488–499.
27. Long X.X., Yang X.E., Ni W.Z., Ye Z.Q., He Z.L., Calvert D.V., Stoffella J.P. Assessing zinc thresholds for phytotoxicity and potential dietary toxicity in selected vegetable crops. Communications in soil science and plant analysis, 2003, vol. 34, pp. 1421–1434.
28. Slyusarev V.N. Sulfur in soils of the North-West Caucasus (agroecological aspects). Krasnodar, KubSAU Publ., 2007. 230 p. (In Russ.)
29. Silva S., Bernett C., Meaklim J., Abeywardane E., Reichman S.M. Probing the effects of different lead compounds on the bioavailability of lead to plants. Chemosphere, 2019, vol. 230, pp. 24–28.
30. Collin S., Baskar A., Geevarghese D.M., Ali M.N.V.S., Bahubali P., Choudhary R. Bioaccumulation of lead (Pb) and its effects in plants: a review. J. Hazard. Mater. Lett., 2022, no. 3, p. 100064.
31. Pobilat A.V., Voloshin E.I. Cadmium in soils and plants of Central Siberia. Microelements in Medicine, 2017, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 36–41. (In Russ.)


