Heavy metals toxicity is a significant problem
for ecological, evolutionary, nutritional and environmental
reasons. This study was carried out to evaluate the amount
of cadmium, zinc and lead absorption in leaf and root of
pine, cypress, plantain and ash in Isfahan, Iran, in 2013. For
this purpose, three heavy metals (Cd, Pb and Zn) and three
sites (heavy traffic, moderate traffic and control) were
chosen based on their effects on human health. The results
indicated that the highest and lowest lead and cadmium
concentrations belonged to heavy traffic site and control
site, respectively. Cd in leaf versus Pb in leaf and Cd in
root versus Pb in root had the highest correlation coefficient
among the traits indicating positive influence of leaf
and root on absorbing Cd and Pb from soil, water and air.
In all the studied species, the concentration of Pb was
higher than that of Cd and Zn. This was certainty due to the
vehicle traffic emitting much more lead than cadmium and
zinc. In all the studied species, metal concentration in
leaves was higher than in roots, which may be due to high
concentration of heavy metals in air than in soil. In this
study,
Pinus eldarica
Medw. tree was found to be the best
species to monitor polluted sites in Isfahan city.