A. De Haro et al., Phytoremediation of the polluted soils after the toxic spill of the Aznalcollar mine by using wild species collected in situ, FR ENV BULL, 9(5-6), 2000, pp. 275-280
The accident of the Aznalcollar mine on April 1998 in the proximity of the
Donana National Park (southern Spain) led to the contamination of the Guadi
amar river and the adjacent agricultural areas (5000 Ha). After physically
removing the sediments the soils have remained polluted by heavy metals suc
h as Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Ti, Sb and metalloids as As.
Periodical field surveys have been made in the affected land in order to id
entify the metal tolerant species that are spontaneously growing in the pol
luted soils. From the ninety six different plant species collected, Amarant
hus blitoides (accumulation of As. Pb and Cu), Erodium moschatum (accumulat
ion of Zn) and Lavatera cretica (accumulation of Cd) highlight as the most
promising species to be used with phytoremediation purposes.