The risk element uptake by chamomile (Matricaria recutita (L.) Rauschert) growing in four different soils

Abstract

German chamomile (Matricaria recutita (L.) Rauschert) belongs to the plants with a high tolerance to toxic elements. The ability of chamomile to accumulate risk elements was tested in a pot experiment in which four soils contaminated by different levels of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn), differing in their physicochemical parameters, were used. The element mobility in the soils was affected predominantly by the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the soils. Whereas As, Pb, and Zn were retained in roots, Cd showed good ability to translocate to the shoots, including anthodia, even in extremely Cd-contaminated soil without symptoms of phytotoxicity. The bioaccumulation factor for Cd calculated as the ratio of element content in the plant and the soil was the highest among the investigated elements. Between 5.5 and 35% of the total Cd was released to infusion, and its extractability decreased with increasing Cd content in anthodia. The essential oil composition suggested an alteration of the abundance of the individual compounds. However, no detectable contents of risk elements were found in the oil. Chamomile can be recommended as a suitable alternative crop for risk element-contaminated soils tested within this experiment, but only for production of essential oil