Feasibility of Tobacco(Nicotiana tabacum L.) for Phytoremediation of Soil Contaminated with Zn and Cu

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Zn and Cu on physiological responses of tobacco at the different leaf ages for the purpose of phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated field. Plant height was significantly decreased at Zn and Cu concentrations of 1.0 mM or higher. Especially, root dry weight decreased more (50% reduced) than shoot dry weight. Zn and Cu accumulation in the shoot and root was dramatically increased after 2.0 mM treatment. The accumulation pattern was different by leaf aging in that Zn accumulated more in senescence leaf and Cu accumulated more in growing leaf. The amounts of heavy metal accumulations per plant were 146,000 mg/kg for Zn and 20,500 mg/kg for Cu at 2.0 mM treatment. The proper harvesting time would be suggested as vegetative growth stage for Zn and reproductive stage for Cu. The concentrations of other inorganic ions (Mg, Mn, Fe) were decreased when Zn and Cu concentrations were increased. Cu concentration and Zn concentration of both shoot and root were decreased in Zn treatment and Cu treatment, respectively.