Abstract
In this study, the removal possibilities of Ni from contaminated soil using perennial rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) plants were investigated. This decontamination process was conducted adding citric acid (C6H8O7) and humic acid. Increasing dose of Ni (0, 50, 100, 200 and 400mg Ni kg-1), 0.005mM citric acid and 2 humic acid were added to the test soil in the pots and incubated under controlled conditions for a month. The seedlings of rosemary plant were transferred to the pots and they were grown for 45 days. At the end of the experiments, dry weight of plant tissues and the concentrations of Ni, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) were determined.
Highlights
The changes in the properties of agricultural soils via human activities are the main factors of increase metal ions concentrations of soils and these release of metal ions in soil has serious effects on living organisms [1,2]
K concentrations were shown a significantly decreases at the concentrations from 0 to 400mg Ni kg-1 in the treatment of Ni + citric acid compared to Ni and Ni + humic acid treatments
While the K concentration increased at the concentrations of 50 and 100mg Ni kg-1 humic acid, decreases were observed at the other concentration of Ni + humic acid
Summary
The changes in the properties of agricultural soils via human activities (mining activities, application of treated sludge to agricultural soils, usage of fertilizers and pesticides, etc.) are the main factors of increase metal ions concentrations of soils and these release of metal ions in soil has serious effects on living organisms [1,2]. Some plant species can accumulate Ni even at high concentration in the above-ground parts and they called as “Ni-phytoextractor” [5]. It is stated that the plant to be used in phytoextraction process should be deep-rooted, have high adaptability to climate change and soil type, and should have the ability to produce abundant green parts to accumulate large amounts of metal ions [7]. Plants which can tolerate some heavy metals with very high concentrations that can be toxic to any known organism are called “hyperaccumulators” [12]. Synthetic or organic acids (e.g. citric, EDTA, tartaric, pyruvic, fumaric) and other organic acids, which have a low molecular weight, can enhance the accumulation of metals in plant parts by effectively removing heavy metals from the heavy metals contaminated soils [13]
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