Abstract
Trace-element-contaminated soils cause environmental concern and represent a source of contamination for surrounding areas. Phytoremediation uses plants to diminish the environmental risks associated with this contamination. When the final aim is the extraction of the pollutants, this technique requires the use of plants that are able to accumulate high concentrations of the target elements in their aerial part, while producing high plant biomass. Here, pot experiments were carried out in order to determine the interaction between a hyperaccumulator (Nocaea caerulescens) and a metal excluder (Lupinus albus) or an accumulator (Brassica juncea) species regarding their trace element accumulation/exclusion capacity when sharing the rhizosphere. The plants were grown alone or were cocultivated in soils with different levels of trace element contamination. The Zn concentration in N. caerulescens plants was lower in cocultivation with B. juncea than when they were grown alone, indicating competition between the two species for Zn uptake. Contrastingly, when grown with L. albus, the Zn concentrations in N. caerulescens plants were higher than when grown alone. Therefore, under climatic conditions adequate for N. caerulescens growth, cocultivation with L. albus could favor Zn phytoextraction, while in the case of B. juncea, crop rotation rather than cocultivation is recommended for efficient phytoextraction.
Highlights
Soil pollution by trace elements (TEs; heavy metals and metalloids) is a global environmental problem
Phytoremediation techniques have been extensively used to remediate various contaminated soils, with good results being obtained for heavy metals and metalloids, radionuclides, and persistent organic pollutants in affected soils [3]
The two soils differed in their pH and metal concentrations (Table 1), but both were noncalcareous with a loamy texture (19.7% clay, 34.3% silt, and 46.0% sand), and were classified as Typic Xerofluvent (American Soil Taxonomy)
Summary
Soil pollution by trace elements (TEs; heavy metals and metalloids) is a global environmental problem. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was unable to obtain an exact assessment of polluted soil since there were no precise data from low- and middle-income countries [2]. Phytoremediation techniques have been extensively used to remediate various contaminated soils, with good results being obtained for heavy metals and metalloids, radionuclides, and persistent organic pollutants in affected soils [3]. Specific plant characteristics are taken advantage of to remove, degrade, or stabilize different potentially toxic TEs and organic compounds occurring in polluted soils and waters. This gives rise to the techniques of phytoextraction, phytovolatilization, phytodegradation, phytostabilization, and rhizofiltration, among others [4]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
