Phytoremediation, bioaccessibility and ecotoxicological risk assessment of arsenic in a gold mining area

The physicochemical and biological parameters of aquatic ecosystems are directly affected by mining activities, increasing the ecotoxicological risk related to exposure to contaminants and pollutants. In this study, a native and adapted floating aquatic macrophyte was used in a gold mining area as a model organism to assess the environmental risk and its potential application in bioremediation of heavy metals. The physicochemical parameters of water and sediments were evaluated, as well as the phytoremediation parameters (bioconcentration and translocation factors) of Hydrocotyle ranunculoides L. The results showed a significant bioconcentration of Cr, Pb, Cu, and Zn in the roots of the macrophyte (high BCF: As > Cu > Zn > Pb > Cr), confirming its suitability for use in rhizofiltration. Regarding arsenic bioconcentration, H. ranunculoides demonstrated a high BCF and TF > 1, indicating its phytoextraction potential, an essential requirement for plants to be used in bioremediation programs.