The study area is located northeast of Akdağmadeni town center, 12 km from the town (Fig. 1). Astragalus pycnocephalus Fischer (local name: Kevan) and Verbascum euphraticum L. (local name: mullein) plants growing in nature around the mining area were chosen to be studied. The plants and the soil in which they grew were sampled and studied.
The vicinity of the Akdağmadeni Pb-Zn mining area is being polluted due to natural causes and mining activities. The surrounding areas and the plants gowing in the study area are strongly affected by the pollution. The amount of Pb changes between 29.87 and 7839.53 mg/kg, and Zn changes between 48.6≥10000 mg/kg in the soil where A. pycnocephalus grew. The concentration of Pb changes between 52.96 and 9909.13 mg/kg and the concentration of Zn changes between 115.1≥10000 mg/kg in the soil where V. Euphraticum grew. Depending on the Pb and Zn concentrations in soil, A. Pycnocephalus and V. Euphraticum are determined as indicator plants.
A. pycnocephalus and V. euphraticum at some locations are determined as hyperaccumulators for Pb and Zn due to the determined concentration values (Pb:>1000 mg/kg, Zn:>10000 mg/kg), calculated enrichment coefficient, and translocation factor values (>1).