Determinación de la capacidad de tres especies vegetales para extraer cadmio y cobre en un suelo contaminado Copper and cadmium extracting capacity determination of three vegetable species in a polluted soil

This research was carried out in San Francisco Municipality of Zulia state, Venezuela. A mixture of soil and petrochemical sludge was used, where the species Cyperus rotundus L. (corocillo), Wedelia trilobata (L) A. Hitc. (wedelia) and Cenchrus cilaris L. (buffell grass) were sown to determine their extracting capacity of Cd and Cu through those metals determination in the aerial biomass by atomic absorption spectrometry. The results indicate that corocillo has a higher capacity to extract Cd and Cu, follow by wedelia and buffell grass. These plants are not classified as Cu and Cd hyperacumulator.