Distribution of Heavy Metal Salts in Shoots of Wild Raspberries (Rubus idaeus L., 1753)

Abstract— The content of heavy metals (HMs) in the soil, foliage, and shoots of wild raspberries (Rubus idaeus L., 1753) has been studied in the area of the 24th kilometer of Yaroslavl highway (route M8), a major road with heavy traffic. The selection of soil samples and biomaterial is carried out at a distance of 100–150 m. The content of Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd, Sr, Pb, Cr, Co, As, U, Cs, Sn, and Hg is determined in the samples. The biological absorption coefficient (BAC) of HMs is calculated. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, PlasmaQuant MS Elite S-NR:11–6000ST043 (Austria), is used. The soils are characterized by a high content of Fe, Cd (hazard class 1), and Sr (hazard class 3). Relative to Cd, the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) was exceeded by 1.8 times (3.59 ± 0.09 mg kg–1). A case of hyperaccumulation of Sr by raspberry leaf mass is noted. The content of this TM in the leaves is 1233.6 ± 360.5 µg–1 (BAC 27.8 ± 5.8). The ability of raspberries to actively accumulate Cu, Cr, Sn, and Hg is also shown. The BAC value for Hg is a maximum of 58.3 ± 25.5. An analysis of the distribution of HM salts in raspberry shoots shows that their main content is found in the outer layers of the shoot, which is consistent with the bundle type of organization of the conducting raspberry tissue. The distribution of HM salts was uneven along the length of the stem. The main content is noted in the initial sections (0–15 cm), and then decreases in length to trace amounts (Pb, Co, Hg, Cs, Cr, As, and Fe). For Sn, Ni, Cd, and U, a jump of 45–50 cm is noted, which coincides with the location of the plant’s leaf mass. The opposite results are obtained with respect to Sr and Zn. Their content increases evenly from the base of the shoot to the top of the stem. For these types of HMs, the highest content in the leaf mass is noted.