This paper is the result of geological environment survey engineering.[Objective]Phytoremediation technology has been widely used in mine ecological restoration because of its characteristics of green, economic and environmental protection. The investigation and screening of plant species adapted to local habitats around mines is the key link of plant ecological restoration.[Methods]By the method of soil sampling for investigation and laboratory analysis, this work analyzed 11 dominant plants in the abandoned tailing and the surrounding of Baotou, Inner Mongolia. Test the contents of heavy metals, the enrichment and translocation of heavy metals and the contents of heavy metals of the plant root soil, in order to screen fine restoration plants and provide scientific basis for ecological restoration in mining area.[Results]The results showed that the mean contents of Fe, Mn, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd, F much higher than the background value of soil in Hetao Plain, geoaccumulation index revealed the pollution level is 2-7, levels of pollution range from mild to moderate pollution to extremely intense pollution. Heavy metal content in plants shows that the content of each element in the underground part of plants is generally higher than that in the aboveground part, the content of heavy metals in most plants exceeded the normal range except for Cu.[Conclusions] Artemisia desertorum and Lepidium apetalum are belong to accumulators, Zea mays, Setaria viridis, Chloris virgata and Calamagrostis epigeios which absorbed a large amount of heavy metals but mainly held in the roots, Suaeda glauca, Chenopodium album, Xanthium sibiricum, Populus alba and Salix microstachya are belong to excluder. According to the absorption and enrichment characteristics of heavy metals in plants, aim to provide reference for the establishment of artificial phytoremediation system in mining areas and the selection of appropriate plant species for the remediation of heavy metal polluted soil in mining areas.
Highlights: The heavy metal characteristics of 11 dominant plants in the abandoned iron tailings pond and its surrounding areas were studied. The mechanism of heavy metal uptake by dominant plants was revealed.