Heavy Metal Accumulation in „sideritis Montana“ Near Landfill: A Case Study

The Gornje Polje Landfill, like many waste disposal sites, raises concerns about the potential environmental contamination of nearby ecosystems. This study investigates the accumulation of selected priority pollutants -heavy metals: mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd) in a potential medicinal species – Sideritis montana populations, located near the Gornje Polje Landfill. Our research explores the levels of these priority heavy metal pollutants in S. montana. Elevated levels of Hg, As, and Cd are observed compared to samples collected at the control site distant from the landfill. There is a potential influence of landfill activities on heavy metal bioavailability and uptake by S. montana. In addition to quantifying selected heavy metal concentrations, the ICP-OES method was employed, and determined concentrations for Hg, As, and Cd were 0.019, 0.109 and 0.025 ppm, respectively and are not for safe plant use. This study provides quantitative data of ICP-OES-determined selected priority pollutants heavy metals in the Sideritis montana population plant near the Gornje Polje Landfill, offering a case study that contributes to the broader understanding of environmental health and ethnobotanical considerations in proximity to waste disposal sites.