Nano Zero Valent Iron (nZVI) as an Amendment for Phytostabilization of Highly Multi-PTE Contaminated Soil.

Maja Radziemska,Tivadar Baltazar,Dariusz Jaskulski,Antonin Kintl,Andrzej Mizerski,Tereza Hammerschmiedt,Martin Brtnicky,Andrzej Głuchowski,Jiri Holatko,Zygmunt M Gusiatin,Iwona Jaskulska

doi:10.3390/ma14102559

Abstract

In recent years, a lot of attention has been given to searching for new additives which will effectively facilitate the process of immobilizing contaminants in the soil. This work considers the role of the enhanced nano zero valent iron (nZVI) strategy in the phytostabilization of soil contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs). The experiment was carried out on soil that was highly contaminated with PTEs derived from areas in which metal waste had been stored for many years. The plants used comprised a mixture of grasses—Lolium perenne L. and Festuca rubra L. To determine the effect of the nZVI on the content of PTEs in soil and plants, the samples were analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The addition of nZVI significantly increased average plant biomass (38%), the contents of Cu (above 2-fold), Ni (44%), Cd (29%), Pb (68%), Zn (44%), and Cr (above 2-fold) in the roots as well as the soil pH. The addition of nZVI, on the other hand, was most effective in reducing the Zn content of soil when compared to the control series. Based on the investigations conducted, the application of nZVI to soil highly contaminated with PTEs is potentially beneficial for the restoration of polluted lands.

Highlights

SGGW Water Centre, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02 787 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology, Agricultural Research, Ltd., Zahradní 1, 664 41 Troubsko, Czech Republic
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an nano zero valent iron (nZVI) amendment on the enhanced phytostabilization of soils highly contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) by determining the plant yield, the chemical composition of the plant biomass accounting for the aboveground parts and roots, and the selected physical and chemical properties of the soil
Due to the fact that the waste had been stored directly on the soil, high concentrations of PTEs were noted. Their values in soil subjected to analyses diverge greatly from the standards currently in force in Poland [25] when it comes to PTEs’

Summary

Introduction

A lot of attention has been given to searching for new additives which will effectively facilitate the process of immobilizing contaminants in the soil. This work considers the role of the enhanced nano zero valent iron (nZVI) strategy in the phytostabilization of soil contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs). To determine the effect of the nZVI on the content of PTEs in soil and plants, the samples were analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The addition of nZVI significantly increased average plant biomass (38%), the contents of Cu (above 2-fold), Ni (44%), Cd (29%), Pb (68%), Zn (44%), and Cr (above 2-fold) in the roots as well as the soil pH. Based on the investigations conducted, the application of nZVI to soil highly contaminated with PTEs is potentially beneficial for the restoration of polluted lands. Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in Keywords: soil degradation; potentially toxic elements; phytoremediation; nanoremediation published maps and institutional affiliations

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