Abstract
Arsenic (As) from coal fly ash can be released into soil/groundwater, presenting a global threat to the environment and human health. To overcome this environmental problem, phytoremediation represents an urgent need, providing ‘green’ cleanup of contaminated lands. The present study focused on As concentrations in fly ash and plants, evaluation of phytoremediation potential of Dactylis glomerata sown on fly ash deposits together with its photosynthetic activity, and oxidative and antioxidative response to As stress. Field research was carried out on fly ash deposits at the thermal power plant “Nikola Tesla”, Obrenovac (TENT-A, Serbia) and the control site. Fly ash is characterized by alkaline pH reactions, small amounts of organic matter, a large amount of available phosphate, and total and available As concentrations. Results in this study indicate that phosphate application can ameliorate As toxicity, uptake and root-shoot transport. Furthermore, D. glomerata can be considered as good As phytostabilizator, because it retains more As in roots than in leaves. Excess As in leaves decreases photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) and concentrations of chlorophylls, carotenoids, and anthocyanins, whereas high content of malondialdehyde (MDA) can be a signal for biosynthesis phenolics and ascorbic acid, providing cellular redox homeostasis and recovery of photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry. In the roots, low oxidative stress under high concentrations of As is related to intense antioxidant biosynthesis. Taken together, the results in this study indicate a high adaptive potential of D. glomerata to As stress. These findings may suggest that physiological and metabolic tools can be used as a way forward in the ‘real field’ scenario, phytomanagement of fly ash and ecosystem services providing sustainable phytoremediation of As-contaminated sites around the globe.
Highlights
Fly ash is generated by coal combustion in thermal power plants during the production of electricity worldwide
Results in the present study show that an increase of MDA content in D. glomerata sown on fly ash Results in the present study show that an increase of MDA content in D. glomerata sown on fly deposit compared to the control site (115%) can be associated with high As concentrations in leaves ash deposit compared to the control site (115%) can be associated with high As concentrations in (r = 0.85)
This study shows that fly ash deposits are characterized by alkaline pH reaction, lower content of organic matter, higher concentrations of available P2 O5, higher total and available As, B, Cu, Mo, and
Summary
Fly ash is generated by coal combustion in thermal power plants during the production of electricity worldwide. Fly ash contains metal(loid)s, such as As, B, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn, as well as organic pollutants which can be released in the environment [1]. Fly ash is mixed with water and pumped as slurry to surface disposal, usually formed on the surrounding land, in artificially made lagoons [2]. Metal(loid)s from fly ash deposits leach in the surrounding environment and can cause environmental risks for soil/groundwater entering food web [4]. Phytoremediation is defined as “green” technology that uses plants to cleanup contaminated environment from hazardous pollutants [5]. Phytostabilizationis a phytoremediation technology which uses plants to reduce the mobility and bioavailability of contaminants in the environment preventing their migration in the soil/groundwater or their entry into the food chain [5]
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