Indian Journal of Weed Science

Concentration of heavy metals like Cd, Pb, Ni, Co, Zn, Mn and Fe were tested in medicinal weeds growing at heavy metal contaminated site around Jabalpur during winter season of 2008. Except Vicia sativa, higher concentration of Cd was observed in weeds like Sonchus arvensis (3.07 μg/g), Alternanthera viridis (1.56 μg/g), Anagalis arvensis (1.5 μg/g), Melilotus indica (1.30 μg/g), Eclipta alba (1.14 μg/g), Chenopodium album (1.15 μg/g), Cichorium intybus (1.05 μg/g), Lathyrus sativa (0.77 μg/g). Copper concentrations in plant was higher than prescribed standard limit, viz. Amaranthus viridis (46 μg/g), Ageratum conyzoides (22 μg/g), Polygonum persicaria (37 μg/g), Commelina communis (30 μg/g), Alternanthera sessilis (22 μg/g), Solanum nigrum (22 μg/g) and Ipomoea aquatica (21 μg/g). Ni and Zn contents exceeded the permissible limit in shoots of Polygonum persicaria (19,265 μg/g), Commelina communis (17,192 μg/g), Alternanthera sessilis (14,216 μg/g), Amaranthus viridis (17,488 μg/g), Ipomoea aquatic (15,238 μg/g), Heliotropicum indicum (16,89 μg/g), Ageratum conyzoides (15,127 μg/g), Blumea lacera (3,218 μg/g), Solanum nigrum (16, 191 μg/g), Convolvulus arvensis (15,125 μg/g) and Cyperus iria (15,177 μg/g) respectively. Calotropisprocera (21 μg/g) exhibited higher Pb concentration exceeding prescribed standard limit. Conversely, Co content was found within prescribed limit in Melilotus indica, Lathyrus sativa, Heliotropicum indicum, Cyperus iria, Convolvulus arvensis, Blumea lacera, Pb below standard limit in Hyptis suaveolens, Cichorium intybus, Lantana camara and Datura stramonium, and no Pb was detected in Alternanthera sessilis, Abutilon indicum, Xanthium strumarium, Anagalis arvensis.