The investigations aimed at the evaluation of nickel bioaccumulation ability of plants from various families (Poaceae-maize, Fabaceae-field bean and Asteraceae-lettuce). The research was conducted under hydroponic conditions. The experimental design comprised ten objects differing with nickel concentrations in the solution (ranging from 0.0 to 10.0 mg Ni dm -3 of the nutrient solution). The parameters, assumed as the basis on which nickel bioretention by selected plant species was determined were: the yield, nickel content in various plant parts, uptake and utilization of this element by the plant, tolerance index (TI) and translocation factor (TF), the metal concentrations in the aboveground parts index (CI) and bioacummulation factor (BAF). On the basis of the obtained results it was found that, due to low tolerance of nickel, maize could be used as the indicator plant for the environment quality assessment.

Dynamic growth of production and use of plastics, due to their durability and multifunctional purpose, is a result of their more and more common use in everyday life [1, 2]. These materials are gradually replacing paper, glass, or wooden packaging. Increasing production of plastics used for various purposes generates considerable amounts of waste (in large countries, the annual plastic waste production reaches millions of tons), which is difficult to manage and poses a real hazard to the environment [3, 4]. These materials are characterized by a considerable resistance to various factors (they do not naturally decompose to a large extent in the environment), which makes their organic recycling difficult [4, 5]. An alternative for solving this problem may be to replace non-degradable plastics with a plant component [6, 7]. Decomposition of polymer materials with a plant component may occur as a result of the activity of enzymes produced by microorganisms [8-10]. Taking into account con

Irrigation of cultivated plants can be a source of toxic lithium to plants. The data on the effect of lithium uptake on plants are scant, that is why a research was undertaken with the aim to determine maize ability to bioaccumulate lithium. The research was carried out under hydroponic conditions. The experimental design comprised 10 concentrations in solution differing with lithium concentrations in the aqueous solution (ranging from 0.0 to 256.0 mg Li • dm -3 of the nutrient solution). The parameters based on which lithium bioretention by maize was determined were: the yield, lithium concentration in various plant parts, uptake and utilization of this element, tolerance index (TI) and translocation factor (TF), metal concentrations in the above-ground parts index (CI) and bioaccumulation factor (BAF). Depression in yielding of maize occurred only at the highest concentrations of lithium. Lithium concentration was the highest in the roots, lower in the stems and leaves, and the lowest in the infl orescences. The values of tolerance index and EC 50 indicated that roots were the most resistant organs to lithium toxicity. The values of translocation factor were indicative of intensive export of lithium from the roots mostly to the stems. The higher uptake of lithium by the above-ground parts than by the roots, which primarily results from the higher yield of these parts of the plants, supports the idea of using maize for lithium phytoremediation.

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