Effects of mining on the molybdenum absorption and translocation of plants in the Luanchuan molybdenum mine

BACKGROUND: There is a critical need to examine whether mining of molybdenum (Mo) ore will affect Mo absorption and translocation by plants at a community level. METHODS: Indigenous plants and their rhizospheric soil (0–20 cm) growing in two different areas including the mining and the unexploited areas were collected from the Luanchuan Mo mine—one of the largest Mo mines in Asia. The concentrations of Mo and other heavy metals of plants or soil were measured by ICP-AES. Mo absorption and translocation in plants growing in two areas were investigated and compared. Heavy metal pollution in soil was also evaluated by the potential ecological hazard index method. RESULTS: Mo concentration in mining soils was higher with the changes from 108.13 to 268.13 mg kg(−1) compared to unexploited area. Mo concentrations in shoots and roots of plants growing in the mining area were also significant higher than those growing in the unexploited area with 2.59 and 2.99 times, respectively. The Mo translocation factor of plants growing in the unexploited area was 1.61, which reached 1.69 times that of plants growing in the mining area. Mo was the main heavy metal pollutant in the soil of both the mining and the unexploited areas. CONCLUSION: Mining of Mo had changed not only the Mo concentration in soil but also Mo absorption and translocation in plants. Plants growing in the mining area absorbed more Mo from the soil but translocated relatively less to shoots than plants of the unexploited area. However, the mechanisms of Mo absorption and translocation of plants in mining area should be further studied in the future.