Abstract
Phytoextraction is a low-cost technology with negligible environmental impacts. A major issue at the field scale is the heterogeneity of contaminant concentration since the entire site needs to be treated evenly even though zones may need different incisiveness in the treatment. The concentration ratio (Cshoot/Csoil) is generally used to evaluate plant species performance and it includes for simplicity an assumption of linearity in the uptake behavior, although deviation from linearity has been observed in several studies. This work describes a phytoextraction feasibility test, conducted at a greenhouse scale for the remediation of an arsenic-contaminated site. Since a feasibility test should also provide an uptake model that accounts for plant growth in heterogeneous areas, the investigation focused on defining the uptake behavior of the various selected species growing in a site with homogeneous soil properties, but with considerable differences in arsenic concentration. Among the many models selectable to describe the soil-to-plant transfer, the Freundlich-like approach was tested. While remaining easy to handle, the non-linear model selected proves to be adequate to predict the arsenic uptake despite the complex contamination considered, thus allowing a more realistic prediction of the potential of a field-scale phytoremediation procedure.
Highlights
The presence of heavy metals in contaminated soils is of great concern as they are not biodegradable and pose a risk for humans and the environment
The physical and chemical properties of the soil were found to be homogeneous in the whole study area and were as follows: pH 8.2, cation exchange capacity (CEC) 17.5 cmol(+) ·kg−1, clay 8.4%, silt 18%, sand 73.6%
A Freundlich-like model can be used to predict the uptake of arsenic from plants in the soil of a
Summary
The presence of heavy metals in contaminated soils is of great concern as they are not biodegradable and pose a risk for humans and the environment. There is an increasing interest in green technologies aimed at eliminating contamination from soil and at protecting the long-term environmental sustainability of soil functions, conserving its quality [3]. Environments 2017, 4, 67 negligible environmental impacts and low costs. Among these green technologies, phytoremediation is considered of great interest since it employs the plants for the in situ treatment of contaminated soil and water. In addition to remediating the compromised area, phytoremediation restores the soil quality with minimal disturbance of the surroundings of the contaminated site
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