Simple regression analyses using plant TE contents as explanatory
variables showed significant correlations with TE in snails' viscera
for all the elements but Cu, with adjusted correlation coefficients ranging
from 0.21 for Cr to 0.56 for Pb.Considering both sources of contamination
(TE contents in soil and in plants) didnot improve the simple regression
models, except for Cd where both soil and plant TE content were significantly correlated with internal contents in snails. For Ni, Pb and Zn, the
plant contents were the best predictors of snail's contents, while for As
it was the soil total content that gave the best r 2 adj . For Cr, considering
either the soil or the plants as explanatory variable gave comparable
r 2 adj