Abstract

A study to remediate soil and water for agricultural use, contaminated with arsenic from geological origin in the Second Region of Chile, is carried out. Soil, water, fresh water algae and aquatic plant were collected between 1999 and 2000 from the agricultural area of Calama city, and eight points of the Loa River. Also three native plants, with capacity to bioremediate soil were collected from its natural habitat. The number of samples was the adequate to carry out the arsenic analysis and to insure the confidence of the results. The highest concentrations of arsenic in aquatic plant and soil samples (460.9 ?g g -1 and 63.2 ?g g -1 dry basis) respectively, were found. The leaves of the plants accumulate higher concentration of the metalloid than roots and stems. It is concluded that some terrestrial and aquatic native plants of the Second Region of Chile, could constitute a very adequate option to bioremediate soil and irrigation water contaminated with arsenic.