Evaluation of phytoremediation ability Althaea rosea under iron contamination

Iron is an essential element in many physiological processes of the plant, but in high concentrations, it contaminates water and soil, which can be cleaned by using appropriate ornamental plants. In order to investigate the effect of iron heavy metal on growth indices and phytoremediation ability of Althaea rosea in a completely randomized design with three replications in greenhouses located in Golgohar iron ore mine in Kerman. The different levels of iron chelate used in this experiment were zero, 15, 30 and 90 mg/kg soil. Soil concentrations of iron chelate were initially mixed with potting soil. The results of this study showed that with increasing different levels of iron, growth indices and plant chlorophyll content showed a significant decrease, so that the highest fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots, plant height, root length, chlorophyll a, b and total was observed in the control treatment, also the highest iron uptake in shoots (1.84 ppm) and roots (1.56 ppm) was observed in the treatment of 90 mg/kg soil. In general, the results of this study showed that due to the ability to absorb iron in the tissues of this plant, ornamental Althaea rosea can be used for phytoremediation of heavy metal iron.