The Identification of Metallophytes in the Fe and Cu enriched Environments of Brookes Point, Palawan and Mankayan, Benguet and their Implications to Phytoremediation

It is important to consider the potential of plants in the remediation or rehabilitation of areas affectedby mining as well as their capability of absorbing metals in anomalous amounts which could be analternative to traditional mining. Phytoremediation is an innovative way of addressing theenvironmental impacts of mining. Studies on metallophytes have identified some plant species thatthrive in nickeliferous laterites and in cupriferous soils. It has been of interest as to how these plantsaccumulate the heavy metals the soil contains, and specifically how much of the available metals arebeing taken up by these plants. In Brookes Point, Palawan, some of the identified plants that thrive innickeliferous laterites, were Sapotaceae planchonella, Apocynaceae alstonia macropylla andCunoniaceae weinmannia sp. Results showed similar responses among the plant species in terms ofthe total Fe content in their leaves, stems and roots. The positive relationship between the soil andplant components was observed manifesting the characteristics of indicator plants for Fe.Apocynaceae alstonia macrophylla specifically had high Fe contents in the root system making it alsoan accumulator and phytostabilizer for Fe. In Mankayan, Benguet, four native fern species that cantolerate the Cu enriched soils were identified and analyzed for Cu using the root-stem-leafcomponents. These species were Pteridium aquilinum, Dicranopteris linearis, Pteris sp. andNephrolepis hirsutula. The results showed Nephrolepis hirsutala and Pteris sp. to be the best Cutolerant species. These plants were not only considered as indicator plants for Cu manifested by thepositive correlation between soil and plant components but also as accumulators and phytostabilizersfor Cu due to the high Cu content in their roots. These are characteristics of metallophytes and thussuch plants may be used for phytoremediation.