Determination of Metals in Forest Species from Amazônia

Abstract

Abstract:The plants can be used as biological monitors, because they have relatively high sensivity then animals, they are strongly integrated into the environment that they live and therefore allow a more accurate assessment of a specific area. This study aimed to determine the content of metals (Al, Cr, Mn, Ni and Zn) in leaves of native species in the Amazon: Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.), Andiroba (Carapa guianensis Aubl.) and Jatobá (Hymenaea courbaril L.), and correlate that with the growth parameters (height and diameter) and Ca and Mg macronutrients by multivariate analysis (principal component analysis -PCA and hierarchical cluster analysis -HCA). The metal content was obtained by spectrometry optical emissions with plasma. The results were obtained from PCA and HCA allowed viewing the high correlation between variables Ca -height, Mgheight, Ca -Mn, Zn -diameter and Al -Cr. From the results we evaluate important research of natives species in the Amazon region as there are not studies about with this approach to the studied species and by further studies, such species can be used as bio-indicators of metals, as that the Amazon region suffers environmental pressure of various economic activities and lacks the resources to monitor the air quality.