Heavy metal uptake by the bryophytes of Himachal Pradesh and its effect on their biochemical constituents

Abstract

The uptake of three heavy metals Cu, Pb and Cd, and their effect on the biochemical constituents and on the regeneration of the metal treated five moss taxa revealed the potential of Isopterygium elegans, Pogonatum perichaetiale and Atrichumpallidumas good bio-accumulators and bio-indicators of heavy metal pollution. Fissidens biformis and Campylopus subfragilis proved to be good bio-monitors as both these taxa tolerated these heavy metals with minimum damage. Hence the studied moss taxa can play an important role in pollution monitoring and phytoremediation. newline