Plant absorption of soil toxins and bioaccumulation

Soil contaminated with toxic chemicals is toxic to plants as well as animals. The effects of heavy metals on plant growth have been extensively studied. The following are examples of this phenomenon. 

Plants that grow in contaminated soils can absorb these pollutants. Once absorbed, such toxic chemicals are taken up by animals that feed on the contaminated plants and are passed up the food chain, in many instances, to humans. Following are examples of such an effect. 

Heavy metals absorbed by crops from contaminated soils are also passed up the food chain. Cadmium, zinc, and lead are absorbed by wheat and rice plants. I19l Cultivated ryegrass absorbs cadmium from polluted soilJ21 Ryegrass is a crop fed to cattle, which absorb the cadmium and pass it up the food chain to humans. 

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