Abstract
This paper reviews some of our resent findings on metal uptake in phytotechnology and foodplants. The Cd concentration in wheat grains can be decreased by pytoextraction by Salixprior to wheat cultivation. Water spinach commonly grown in nutrient rich waste water areable to form methyl-Hg in new leaves, but high nutrient level in cultivation medium decreasesthe metal concentration in the plant. Wetland plants grown on mine tailings are able todecrease the formation of acid mine drainage from the tailings. Submerged plants can increasethe retention of metals in wetlands treating metal polluted water, but the efficiency dependson the quality of the inlet water. Plants can be used to prevent leakage of metals and nutrientsfrom dry covers containing sewage sludge on mine tailing impoundments. If the sealing layerbelow the cover layer consists of fly ash root penetration can be prevented while if it containsa mixture of sewage sludge and fly ash roots will grow into the sealing layer. Macro algae asfertilizers in agriculture increase the biomass production but also transfer Cd to the crop.Therefore, algae should be used in production of non food crops, however, not suitable forhemp cultivation.
Highlights
This paper reviews some of our resent findings on metal uptake in phytotechnology and food plants
In Sweden, the Cd concentrations in agricultural soil are in some areas elevated due to antropogenic pollution or the Cd concentration in the bedrock
In an investigation on the metal content in water spinach collected from several sites in the Bangkok area in Thailand Pb, Cd and Hg was found and the levels of Hg were high in plants from some sites (2)
Summary
In Sweden, the Cd concentrations in agricultural soil are in some areas elevated due to antropogenic pollution or the Cd concentration in the bedrock. The total Cd concentration (HNO3-extraction) decreased up to 32 % within three years by Salix cultivation and the higher plant density the more Cd was removed (Table 1). The young shoots are collected as food In an investigation on the metal content in water spinach collected from several sites in the Bangkok area in Thailand Pb, Cd and Hg was found and the levels of Hg were high in plants from some sites (2). Often occurring in waste waters, decreased the uptake of metals in this plant (3), that of methyl-Hg (Figure 3). Present studies show that the formation of methyl-Hg is influenced by the nutrient level Another reason for lower concentration of metals in plants in the presence of high nutrient level may be a dilution effect by the increased growth of the plant.
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