Abstract Phytoremediation and its effect on the mobility
of metals in soil: a fractionation study
Prabha K.
Padmavathiamma and Loretta Y. Li
Abstract
Studies were conducted to
investigate the effect of phytoremediation on the immobilization of Cu, Pb, Mn
and Zn in soils at different stages of plant growth. Two multi-metal soil
concentrations were examined in pot experiments by growing five different plant
species: Lolium perenne L. (perennial rye grass), Festuca rubra L.
(creeping red fescue), Helianthus annuus L. (sunflower), Poa
pratensis L. (Kentucky bluegrass) and Brassica napus L. (rape) for this
study. Selective sequential extraction techniques differentiated the mobile and
immobile metal fractions in the soil. Soil-metal conversions due to plant growth
appear to follow the order: organic Cu to oxide Cu; oxide Pb to organic Pb;
oxide Mn to exchangeable Mn; and exchangeable Zn to oxide Zn. As the growth of
plants proceeded from 90 to 120 days after sowing, the relatively immobile
fractions such as the oxide and organic fractions dominated in the soils growing
Festuca, Lolium and Poa. The oxide fraction increased in soils growing Festuca,
the organic fraction in soils growing Lolium and Poa, and the exchangeable
fraction in soils growing Helianthus and Brassica. Based on the partitioning of
metals in various soil fractions, Lolium, Poa and Festuca are identified as
being suitable for the phytostabilization of metals (Cu, Pb, Mn and Zn) in
moderately contaminated acid soil.
Key words: bioavailability,
contamination, metal fractionation, metal tolerance,
phytostabilization
Land Contamination & Reclamation, 17 (2),
223-235 (2009)
DOI
10.2462/09670513.937 © 2009 EPP Publications Ltd To purchase
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Article code 937
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