Abstract
The paper presents results from plot experiments aimed at the development of an ecological strategy for soil contaminated with mercury. Meadow grass (Poa pratensis) was tested on mercury contaminated soil in a former chlor-alkali plant (CAP) in southern Poland for its phytoremediation potential. The stabilisation potential of the plants was investigated on plots without additives and after the addition of granular sulphur. Biomass production, uptake and distribution of mercury by plants, as well as leachates and rhizosphere microorganisms were investigated, along with the growth and vitality of plants during one growing season. The analysed plants grew easily on mercury contaminated soil, accumulating lower amounts of mercury, especially in the roots, from soil with additive of granular sulphur (0.5 % w/w) and sustained a rich microbial population in the rhizosphere. After amendment application the reduction of Hg evaporation was observed. The obtained results demonstrate the potential of using Poa pratensis and sulphur for remediation of mercury contaminated soil and reduction of the Hg evaporation from soil. In the presented study, methods of Hg reduction on “hot spots” were proposed, with a special focus on environmental protection. This approach provides a simple remediation tool for large areas heavily contaminated with mercury.
Highlights
Mercury and its compounds are considered to be potentially hazardous to all biological organisms (Asztalos et al 2012; Boening 2000; Chen and Yang 2012)
These technologies are expensive, complex processes that are destructive for soil organisms and of limited application in soil treatment (Wang et al 2012; Randall and Chattopadhyay 2013)
About 42 % of mercury in soil was bound to organic matter and precipitated as sulphides, below 1 % occurred in the water-soluble fraction, 16 %- in the exchangeable fraction, and 6 % in the fraction bound to humic and fulvic acids
Summary
Mercury and its compounds are considered to be potentially hazardous to all biological organisms (Asztalos et al 2012; Boening 2000; Chen and Yang 2012). For several decades chemical plant facilities in Poland (e.g. chlor-alkali production processes) as well as in other countries (Zagury et al 2006; Dufault et al 2009; Esbrí et al 2014) have been using mercury and its compounds in manufacturing processes, which resulted in high concentrations of mercury in nearby soils This poses potential health and environmental risk over a much wider area (Cachada et al 2009; Pereira et al 2009). Some of the S/S technologies are based on Hg stabilisation and solidification with sulphur polymer cement, thiolfunctionalised zeolite compounds and alkali sulphide (Fuhrmann et al 2002; Piao and Bishop 2006; Bower et al 2008; Zhang et al 2009) These technologies are expensive, complex processes that are destructive for soil organisms and of limited application in soil treatment (Wang et al 2012; Randall and Chattopadhyay 2013)
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