Utilização da samambaia Pteridium arachnoideum como fitorremediadora de Pb em áreas de mineração de carvão

Abstract

Anthropogenic actions have increased the levels of trace elements (ET's) across the planet, causing contamination in bodies of water and soil, as is the case in the Santa Catarina Carboniferous Basin (BCC) and the environmental liabilities caused by coal mining activities. The present study aimed to carry out a bibliometric review on coal mining and the use of ferns as phytoremediators and to evaluate the phytoremediation potential of the fern Pteridium arachnoideum in a coal deposit area in SC. The methodology was divided into two stages: in the first, a bibliometric analysis was carried out in the Scopus and Web of Science (WOS) database with specific terms, such as “fern”, “phytoremediation” and “mining”, analyzing the articles published between the years from 2002 to 2022. In the second, an evaluation of the accumulation of Pb in the tissue of P. arachnoideum collected in coal mining areas of the BCC was carried out. Criciúma, Forquilhinha, Lauro Müller, Siderópolis and Urussanga, were the municipalities for carrying out research on the characterization of Pb levels present in the tailings and waste from BCC deposits, as they present greater problems with environmental liabilities. The Pb contents are above the predicted prevention value for the soil, both for CONAMA resolution n⁰ 420/2009, in three evaluated deposits (A7, A8 and A9) which is 72 mg.kg^-1 and for IMA Ordinance n^o 45/2021, 16.08 mg.kg^-1, where only area A12 did not present a value higher than that established. Mining waste and tailings are chemically poor in macro and micronutrients, presenting anomalous ET levels. Even with high levels of Pb in the soil, P. arachnoideum is able to develop in an inhospitable environment, demonstrating that it may have potential for Pb phytostabilization.