Survey and collection of samples from heavy metal contaminated sites
After a thorough survey of heavy metal contaminated soil, the bulk soil/rhizosphere soil of plants growing on metal-contaminated sites along with water samples from polluted water-bodies were collected from different locations of Jharkhand, Wardha; Nagpur, Maharashtra, India and Bhanpura, Bhopal (MP). All the samples were collected in sterilized polybags and tubes, and transported and stored in laboratory at 4℃. Samples were analysed for their pH level and the heavy metal content was estimated using ICP-OES (Perkin Elmer, USA).