Metal availability and soil toxicity after repeated croppings of Thlaspi caerulescens in metal contaminated soils
Abstract
Metal phytoextraction with hyperaccumulating plants could be a useful method to decontaminate soils, but it is not fully validated yet. In order to quantify the efficiency of Cd and Zn extraction from a calcareous soil with and without Fe amendment and an acidic soil, we performed a pot experiment with three successive croppings of Thlaspi caerulescens followed by 3 months without plant and 7 weeks with lettuce. We used a combined approach to assess total extraction efficiency (2 M HNO3-extractable metals), changes in metal bio/availability (0.1 M NaNO3-extractable metals and lettuce uptake) and toxicity (lettuce biomass and the BIOMET biosensor). The soil solution was monitored over the whole experiment. In the calcareous soil large Cu concentrations were probably responsible for chlorosis symptoms observed on T. caerulescens. When this soil was treated with Fe, the amount of extracted metal by T. caerulescens increased and metal availability and soil toxicity decreased when compared to the untreated soil. In the acidic soil, T. caerulescens was most efficient: Cd and Zn concentrations in plants were in the range of hyperaccumulation and HNO3-extractable Cd and Zn, metal bio/availability, soil toxicity, and Cd and Zn concentra...Continue Reading
References
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Bioremediation (ASM)
Bioremediation is the treatment and removal of harmful pollutants or contaminants through the use of microorganisms. Discover the latest research here.