Phytoremediation of the polluted soils after the toxic spill of the Aznalcollar mine by using wild species collected in situ

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.