Assessment of European and hybrid aspen clones efficiency based on height growth and removal percentage of petroleum hydrocarbons\u2014a field trial

Mir Md Abdus Salam,Zikria Zafar,Pertti Pulkkinen,Muhammad Mohsin,Muhammad Ramzan,Fahad Rasheed

doi:10.1007/s11356-020-10453-4

Abstract

Soils polluted by organic or inorganic pollutants are an emerging global environmental issue due to their toxic effects. A phytoremediation experiment was conducted to evaluate the extraction potential of three European aspen clones (R2, R3, and R4) and seven hybrid aspen clones (14, 27, 34, 134, 172, 191, and 291) grown in soils polluted with hydrocarbons (includes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH)). Height growth, plant survival rates, and .hydrocarbon removal efficiencies were investigated over a 4-year period at a site in Somerharju, Luumaki Finland, to assess the remediation potential of the clones. Hydrocarbon content in the soil was determined by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The results revealed that hybrid aspen clones 14 and 34 and European aspen clone R3 achieved greater height growth (171, 171, and 114 cm, respectively) than the other clones in the study. Further, the greatest removals of PAH (90% at depth 10–50 cm) and (86% at depth 5–10 cm) were observed in plot G15 planted with clone R2. Furthermore, the greatest TPH removal rate at 5–10 cm depth (C22–C40, 97%; C10–C40, 96%; and C10–C21, 90%) was observed in plot 117 with clone 134. However, other clones demonstrated an ability to grow in soils with elevated levels of TPH and PAH, which indicates their tolerance to hydrocarbons and their potential capacity for phytoremediation of hydrocarbon-polluted soils. Our study suggests that European aspen and hybrid aspen clones could be used for the remediation of soils polluted with PAH and TPH.

Highlights

IntroductionMir Md Abdus Salam and Muhammad Mohsin contributed to this work.Responsible Editor: Elena Maestri
Mir Md Abdus Salam and Muhammad Mohsin contributed to this work.Responsible Editor: Elena MaestriSchool of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistokatu 7, P.O
We assume that the phytoremediation potential is proportional to plant survival and growth since successful tree establishment is the first requirement for long-term petroleum degradation in the soil

Summary

Introduction

Mir Md Abdus Salam and Muhammad Mohsin contributed to this work.Responsible Editor: Elena Maestri. Petroleum is considered an essential component of modern industrial society (Khan et al 2013). Petroleum-based products are a known energy source for daily life and industrial performance, the discharge of these products into the environment results in ecosystem damage and genetic mutation, such as pollutant deposition in plant tissues and animals (Guarino et al 2017), as well as negatively influences plant growth and development (Nie et al 2011). The occurrence of petroleum pollutants in the soil strongly affects soil chemical properties, microbial populations, and performance (Guo et al 2012; Leme et al 2012) and negatively impacts the capacity of plants and microbes to absorb water and nutrients from the soil (Kathi and Khan 2011).

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