Effect of Heavy Metal Contents in Soils Near Old Zinc-Mining Sites on the Growth of and their Uptake by Soybean

When soybean was cultivated in the polluted soil with heavy metals, the content of these heavy metals affected. The results were summarized as follows. 1. The growth of soybean was remarkably poor and the content of heavy metals in polluted soil were higher than in unpolluted soil. 2. In leaves of all surveyed crops, the content of Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd and As was higher in soybean, followed by corn and rice. 3. Except for Pb, the content of heavy metals in the leaves of soybean was higher than in the stem of soybean, and the components of heavy metals in each part of soybean were shown in order of Zn > As > Cd > Cu > Pb. 4. The relationship between the content of Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, As and the growth of soybean was negatively correlated, respectively. 5. A higher correlation seemed to exist among the content of Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, As in soil, of Zn, Cu and As in soybean leaves, and of Pb, Cd and As in stems of soybean. The results indicated that heavy metals were absorbed and accumulated by plants grown in the polluted area.