The role of bioindicator plants in environmental forensics: Potential applications for detecting heavy metal pollution in agricultural landscapes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61511/tafoa.v3i1.2026.3153Keywords:
agricultural soils, bioindicator plants, environmental forensics, heavy metals, sustainable land managementAbstract
Background: Heavy metal contamination in Indonesian agricultural lands poses serious risks to ecosystem stability, food security, and public health. Major sources include excessive application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, as well as industrial and domestic waste. Bioindicator plants can detect heavy metal pollutants through absorption and accumulation in plant tissues. Integrating bioindicator approaches into environmental forensic studies may strengthen pollution detection and support sustainable land management. Methods: This study employed a literature review and secondary data analysis to examine the potential of bioindicator plants in supporting environmental forensic investigations of heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils. Findings: Common heavy metals identified in Indonesian agricultural lands include Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn. Frequently studied bioindicator plants are Oryza sativa, Eichhornia crassipes, Ipomoea aquatica, Ficus benghalensis, and Pteris vittata. Existing national research primarily focuses on ecological monitoring and phytoremediation, while limited attention has been given to contamination tracing, source identification, standardized analytical methods, and integration with environmental forensic frameworks. This indicates significant methodological and conceptual gaps in applying bioindicator science for evidentiary and investigative purposes. Conclusion: Bioindicator plants have strong potential as scientific tools for detecting and tracing heavy metal contamination. Strengthening their integration into environmental forensic frameworks can enhance evidence-based pollution control and promote sustainable agricultural land management in Indonesia. Novelty/Originality of this article: This study systematically positions bioindicator plants within an environmental forensic framework, moving beyond conventional ecological monitoring toward contamination tracing and evidentiary assessment, thereby providing a conceptual foundation for more reliable pollution detection strategies.
References
Alghamdi, S. A., & El-Zohri, M. (2024). Phytoremediation characterization of heavy metals by some native plants at anthropogenic polluted sites in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Resources, 13(7), 98. https://doi.org/10.3390/resources13070098
Bogatyrchuk, O. (2024). Forensic examinations during the investigation of criminal offenses in the field of land use, subsoil protection, and atmospheric air. Yevropeiski Sotsio-Pravovi Ta Humanitarni Studii, 1(1), 24–31. https://doi.org/10.61345/2734-8873.2024.1.3
Budianta, D., Napoleon, A., & Bolan, N. (2023). Heavy metals in Indonesian paddy soils. In Heavy metals – Recent advances. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109027
Cakaj, A., Lisiak-Zielińska, M., Hanć, A., Małecka, A., Borowiak, K., & Drapikowska, M. (2023). Common weeds as heavy metal bioindicators: A new approach in biomonitoring. Scientific Reports, 13(1), Article 34019. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-34019-9
Cueni, F., Nelson, D. B., Boner, M., & Kahmen, A. (2021). Using plant physiological stable oxygen isotope models to counter food fraud. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-96722-9
Da Silva, R. M. G., de Oliveira Moraes, V. M., Granero, F. O., Malaguti Figueiredo, C. C., dos Santos, V. H. M., Machado, L. P., & Pereira Silva, L. (2024). Cytogenotoxicity evaluation of heavy metals detected in extracts and infusion of Baccharis trimera, a potential bioaccumulator plant. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A: Current Issues, 87(3), 108–119. https://doi.org/10.1080/15287394.2023.2279120
Danapriatna, N., Dede, M., Widiawaty, M. A., Puspitaningrum, H., & Lutfiadi, R. (2024). Unveiling heavy metal pollution in soils and rice crops (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation. Jurnal Teknik Pertanian Lampung (Journal of Agricultural Engineering), 13(3), 730–738. https://doi.org/10.23960/jtep-l.v13i3.730-738
Dewi, T., Handayani, C. O., Hidayah, A., & Sukarjo, S. (2023). Sebaran konsentrasi logam berat di lahan pertanian Kabupaten Wonosobo. Jurnal Tanah dan Sumberdaya Lahan, 10(2), 515–521. https://doi.org/10.21776/ub.jtsl.2023.010.2.35
Directorate General of Horticulture, Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia. (2024). Directorate General of Horticulture performance report 2024. https://hortikultura.pertanian.go.id/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/LAKIP-.-LAKIN-DITJEN-HORTIKULTURA-2024.pdf
Durante-Yánez, E. V., Martínez-Macea, M. A., Enamorado-Montes, G., Caballero, E. C., & Marrugo-Negrete, J. (2022). Phytoremediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals from gold mining activities using Clidemia sericea D. Don. Plants, 11(5), 597. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11050597
Fahmi, M. I. N., Mahanal, S., Zubaidah, S., & Ibrohim. (2025). Comparing diatom diversity over three decades in the Brantas River, Malang, East Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity, 26(5), 2519–2530. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d260547
Gafur, N. A., Sakakibara, M., Komatsu, S., Sano, S., & Sera, K. (2022). Environmental survey of the distribution and metal contents of Pteris vittata in arsenic–lead–mercury-contaminated gold mining areas along the Bone River in Gorontalo Province, Indonesia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(1), 530. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010530
Ghuge, S. A., Nikalje, G. C., Kadam, U. S., Suprasanna, P., & Hong, J. C. (2023). Comprehensive mechanisms of heavy metal toxicity in plants, detoxification, and remediation. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 450, 131039. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131039
Gupta, N., Yadav, K. K., Kumar, V., Cabral-Pinto, M. M. S., Alam, M., Kumar, S., & Prasad, S. (2021). Appraisal of contamination of heavy metals and health risk in agricultural soil of Jhansi city, India. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 88, 103740. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2021.103740
Hanafiah, M. M., Zainuddin, M. F., Nizam, N. U. M., Halim, A. A., & Rasool, A. (2020). Phytoremediation of aluminum and iron from industrial wastewater using Ipomoea aquatica and Centella asiatica. Applied Sciences, 10(9), Article 3064. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10093064
Handayani, C. O., Sukarjo, S., & Dewi, T. (2022). Penilaian tingkat cemaran logam berat pada lahan pertanian di hulu Sungai Citarum, Jawa Barat. Jurnal Ilmu Lingkungan, 20(3), 508–516. https://doi.org/10.14710/jil.20.3.508-516
He, S., Niu, Y., Xing, L., Liang, Z., Song, X., Ding, M., & Huang, W. (2024). Research progress of the detection and analysis methods of heavy metals in plants. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15, 1310328. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2024.1310328
Islam, M. M., Saxena, N., & Sharma, D. (2024). Phytoremediation as a green and sustainable prospective method for heavy metal contamination: A review. RSC Sustainability, 2(5), 1269–1288. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3su00440f
Jung, J., Park, J., Choi, Y., Choe, J. K., An, J., & Nam, K. (2023). Environmental forensic approach towards unraveling contamination sources with receptor models: A case study in Nakdong River, South Korea. Science of The Total Environment, 892, 164554. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164554
Kasprzyk, I. (2023). Forensic botany: Who?, how?, where?, when? Science & Justice, 63(2), 258–275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2023.01.002
Khan, A., Bashir, K., Rashid, A. F., Khan, S. M. S., & Janan, M. (2024). Forensic botany: Unraveling crimes with nature’s clues. Journal of Integrative Medicine and Public Health, 3(2), 60–65. https://doi.org/10.4103/jimph.jimph_27_24
Khan, T., Shah, L., Khan, S., Wani, O. A., Sheikh, Z. N., Afroza, B., Rashid, R., Baloch, F. S., & Mansoor, S. (2025). Comprehensive review of multiomics applications and remediation of plant heavy metal toxicity. Stress Biology, 5(1), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44154-025-00233-w
Khasanah, U., Mindari, W., & Suryaminarsih, P. (2021). Kajian pencemaran logam berat pada lahan sawah di kawasan industri Kabupaten Sidoarjo. Jurnal Teknik Kimia, 15(2), 73–81. https://doi.org/10.33005/jurnal_tekkim.v15i2.2545
Khurana, N., Kanojia, R., Ak, J., & Bhagat, S. (2024). Assessment and analysis of heavy metals present in vegetables grown near Yamuna River region: A review. International Journal of Forensic Sciences. https://doi.org/10.23880/ijfsc-16000405
Lala, A., & Kosim, K. (2025). Effectiveness of criminal sanctions enforcement against environmental pollution by industrial corporations in Indonesia. Journal of Society and Development, 5(1), 37–43. https://doi.org/10.57032/jsd.v5i1.294
Li, J., Abliz, A., Nueraihemaiti, B., Guo, D., & Liu, X. (2025). Evaluation and source analysis of plant heavy metal pollution in Kalamaili Mountain Nature Reserve. Plants, 14(10), 1521. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14101521
Liao, W., Huang, Y., Zhong, S., Zhang, L., Yu, K., Yu, S., Su, P., Jin, C., Yang, L., & Li, F. (2024). Cadmium uptake and transport in vegetables near a zinc–lead mine: Novel insights from Cd isotope fractionation. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 480, 136451. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136451
Lovynska, V., Bayat, B., Bol, R., Moradi, S., Rahmati, M., Raj, R., Sytnyk, S., Wiche, O., Wu, B., & Montzka, C. (2024). Monitoring heavy metals and metalloids in soils and vegetation by remote sensing: A review. Remote Sensing, 16(17), 3221. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16173221
Mahardika, N., & Amizera, S. (2025). Studi literatur: Inventarisasi jenis tumbuhan air sebagai bioindikator kualitas air sungai. Biocaster: Jurnal Kajian Biologi, 5(3), 416–428. https://doi.org/10.36312/biocaster.v5i3.571
Mansoor, S., Ali, A., Kour, N., Bornhorst, J., AlHarbi, K., Rinklebe, J., Abd El Moneim, D., Ahmad, P., & Chung, Y. S. (2023). Heavy metal induced oxidative stress mitigation and ROS scavenging in plants. Plants, 12(16), 3003. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12163003
McDowell, R. W., & Gray, C. W. (2022). Do soil cadmium concentrations decline after phosphate fertiliser application is stopped: A comparison of long-term pasture trials in New Zealand? Science of The Total Environment, 804, 150047. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150047
Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia. (2024). Ministry of Agriculture performance report 2024. https://ppid.pertanian.go.id/doc/1/LAKIN%20KEMENTERIAN%20PERTANIAN%202024-250228.pdf
Mohamed, H. I., Ullah, I., Toor, M. D., Tanveer, N. A., Din, M. M. U., Basit, A., Sultan, Y., Muhammad, M., & Rehman, M. U. (2025). Heavy metals toxicity in plants: Understanding mechanisms and developing coping strategies for remediation: A review. Bioresources and Bioprocessing, 12(1), 1–44. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40643-025-00930-4
Moore, R. E. T., Ullah, I., Dunwell, J. M., & Rehkämper, M. (2024). Stable isotope analyses reveal impact of Fe and Zn on Cd uptake and translocation by Theobroma cacao. Plants, 13(4), Article 551. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13040551
Mu, T., Cao, B., Yang, M., Gan, X., Chen, L., Wang, X., Li, M., Lu, Y., & Xu, J. (2025). Heavy metals distribution and source identification in contaminated agricultural soils: Isotopic and multi-model analysis. Agronomy, 15(4), 812. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15040812
Mulenga, C., Phiri, D., Ortega-Rodriguez, D. R., & Meincken, M. (2023). Bioaccumulation of potentially toxic elements by indigenous and exotic trees growing around a copper leaching plant in Mufulira, Zambia. Environmental Systems Research, 12(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40068-023-00310-x
Muryani, E., Ernawati, R., Asrifah, D., Dhea, D., & Az-Zahra, A. (2025). Potensi fitoremediasi logam berat oleh tumbuhan herba pada area bekas penambangan emas skala kecil Banyumas, Indonesia. Jurnal Ilmu Lingkungan, 23(4), 1037–1045. https://doi.org/10.14710/jil.23.4.1037-1045
Mustofa, U. H., & Roosmini, D. (2024). Heavy metal accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa L.) from irrigation water sources of Citarum River and Tarum Barat Canal to public health risk. Journal of Community Based Environmental Engineering and Management, 8(2), 221–230. https://doi.org/10.23969/jcbeem.v8i2.18052
Nedjimi, B. (2021). Phytoremediation: A sustainable environmental technology for heavy metals decontamination. SN Applied Sciences, 3(3), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-021-04301-4
Ning, Y., Yang, B., Yang, S., Ye, J., Li, J., Ren, L., Liu, Z., Bi, X., & Liu, J. (2023). Application of Pb isotopes and REY patterns in tracing heavy metals in farmland soils from the upper-middle area of Yangtze River. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(2), Article 966. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20020966
Ogwu, M. C., Izah, S. C., Sawyer, W. E., & Amabie, T. (2025). Environmental risk assessment of trace metal pollution: A statistical perspective. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 47(4), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-025-02405-z
Oktavian, P., Anas, M., Kasman, Sudiana, I. N., Safaani, J., & Agusu, L. (2024). Studi kajian literatur: Pengaruh keberadaan logam berat terhadap tingkat kesuburan tanah di Indonesia. Einstein’s: Research Journal of Applied Physics, 2(1), 20–23. https://doi.org/10.33772/einsteins.v2i1.645
Oliveira, M., Azevedo, L., Ballard, D., Branicki, W., & Amorim, A. (2023). Using plants in forensics: State-of-the-art and prospects. Plant Science, 336, 111860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111860
Qader, S. A., & Salih, Z. R. (2023). Plants as bioindicators of heavy metal pollution. Zanco Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 35(2), 221–234. https://doi.org/10.21271/zjpas.35.2.23
Roy, K. (2025). Forensic environmental science and legal admissibility: Bridging the gap between data and justice. International Journal of Environmental Sciences, 11(12s), 546–563. https://doi.org/10.64252/6PQ8M965
Seregin, I. V., & Kozhevnikova, A. D. (2023). Phytochelatins: Sulfur-containing metal(loid)-chelating ligands in plants. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24032430
Sharma, N., Negi, N., Kaur, H., Sharma, V., Kumari, V., & Thakur, N. (2025). Metabolic adaptations in plants: Navigating heavy metal stress for sustainable plant growth. Discover Applied Sciences, 7(10), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-06715-w
Silva, R. M. G. da, Marques de Oliveira Moraes, V., Marinho dos Santos, V. H., Oliveira Granero, F., Malaguti Figueiredo, C. C., & Pereira Silva, L. (2022). Heavy metal accumulation efficiency and subsequent cytogenotoxicity evaluation in the medicinal plant Equisetum hyemale. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, 85(24), 989–1001. https://doi.org/10.1080/15287394.2022.2139313
Sukarjo, S., Zulaehah, I., Harsanti, E., & Ardiwinata, A. (2021). Penilaian spasial potensi risiko ekologis logam berat di lapisan olah tanah sawah DAS Serayu Hilir, Jawa Tengah. Jurnal Tanah dan Iklim, 45(1), 69–77. https://doi.org/10.21082/jti.v45n1.2021.69-77
Swofford, H. (2023). Forensic science environmental scan 2023 NIST forensic science program. https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8515
Syafriliansah, M. W., & Purnomo, T. (2022). Kadar logam berat timbal (Pb) tumbuhan aquatik dan air sebagai indikator kualitas air Sungai Brangkal Mojokerto. LenteraBio: Berkala Ilmiah Biologi, 11(2), 341–350. https://doi.org/10.26740/lenterabio.v11n2.p341-350
Syu, W. J., Lu, C. Y., & Chen, C. Y. (2023). Environmental forensic investigation on soil contamination: A field study. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 23(9), 3412–3424. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-023-03568-x
Uddin, M. K., Moni, S. Y., Islam, M. S., Rahman, M. M., Sultana, N., & Islam, M. R. (2024). Forensic botany: The growing discipline revolutionizing plant science and criminal investigations. International Journal of Forensic Expert Alliance, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.61561/A1M6C454
Ugulu, I., Bibi, S., Khan, Z. I., Ahmad, K., Munir, M., Malik, I. S., Ejaz, A., & Alrefaei, A. F. (2023). Biomonitoring of heavy metal and metalloid contamination in industrial wastewater irrigated areas using sugar beet (Brassica oleracea L.). Sustainability, 15(12), 9694. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129694
Vasilachi, I. C., Stoleru, V., & Gavrilescu, M. (2023). Analysis of heavy metal impacts on cereal crop growth and development in contaminated soils. Agriculture, 13(10), 1983. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13101983
Wang, Y., Tan, S. N., Mohd Yusof, M. L., Ghosh, S., & Lam, Y. M. (2022). Assessment of heavy metal and metalloid levels and screening potential of tropical plant species for phytoremediation in Singapore. Environmental Pollution, 295, 118681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118681
Widyasari, N. L. (2021). Kajian tanaman hiperakumulator pada teknik remediasi lahan tercemar logam berat. Jurnal Ecocentrism, 1(1), 17–24. https://doi.org/10.36733/jeco.v1i1.1748
Yan, A., Wang, Y., Tan, S. N., Mohd Yusof, M. L., Ghosh, S., & Chen, Z. (2020). Phytoremediation: A promising approach for revegetation of heavy metal-polluted land. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, Article 359. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00359
Yao, Q., Wang, Y., Zhou, G., Wu, S., & Li, Y. (2024). Critical review on source tracing method based on heavy metals in soil: Key parameters, data processing and environmental geochemical information extraction. Global NEST Journal, 26(6), 5871. https://doi.org/10.30955/gnj.005871
Yap, C. K., & Al-Mutairi, K. A. (2022). Ecological-health risk assessments of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, and Zn) in aquatic sediments from the ASEAN-5 emerging developing countries: A review and synthesis. Biology, 11(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11010007
Zakaria, N., El-Sayed, A. S. A., & Ali, M. G. (2025). Phytochemical fingerprinting of phytotoxins as a cutting-edge approach for unveiling nature’s secrets in forensic science. Natural Products and Bioprospecting, 15(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13659-024-00484-6
Zandi, P., & Schnug, E. (2022). Reactive oxygen species, antioxidant responses and implications from a microbial modulation perspective. Biology, 11(2), 155. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11020155
Zhou, J., Moore, R. E. T., Rehkämper, M., Kreissig, K., Coles, B., Sun, Y., Li, Z., Luo, Y., Christie, P., & Wu, L. (2023). Zinc supply affects cadmium uptake and translocation in the hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola as evidenced by isotope fractionation. Environmental Science & Technology, 57(14), 5891–5902. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c08220
Zunaidi, A. A., Lim, L. H., & Metali, F. (2023). Comparative assessment of the heavy metal phytoextraction potential of vegetables from agricultural soils: A field experiment. Heliyon, 9(2), Article e13547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13547
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Zakia Afdhila
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
