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Potentially Toxic Elements in Contaminated Soils: Green Remediation Strategies

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 33813

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Mery Malandrino

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemistry, University of Torino, 10125 Torino, Italy
Interests: atmospheric particulate matter; environment; metals; soil
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Soil contamination has been inherited from industrial development. The quality of soil is threatened by many human activities, including mining exploitations, transportation, improper management of waste, and intensive agriculture practices. Soil remediation has paramount importance since soil pollution greatly influences the quality of water, food, and human health. Many clean-up technologies have been used. Today, the remediation strategies are no longer exclusively based on eliminating the source of pollution, but also on blocking the pathways from contaminants to receptors or reducing the exposure to contaminants in order to also recover soil quality. In recent years, knowledge of remediation technology has rapidly grown and, at present, many treatment processes appear to be feasible at the field scale. Innovative technologies, largely dependent on soil properties, such as in situ chemical oxidation, electroremediation, and bio- and phytoremediation, etc. have been successfully applied.

In this Special Issue, we invite submissions exploring the development of technologies for “green remediation”, that can tackle the issue of remediation of contaminated soils with the greatest attention to environmental quality, including the preservation of soil productivity. Survey papers and reviews are also welcome.

Prof. Mery Malandrino
Guest Editor

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Keywords

metals
soil
remediation strategies
pollution
soil quality

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 1381 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Trace Element Levels in Native Plant Species around the Industrial Site of Puchuncaví-Ventanas (Central Chile): Evaluation of the Phytoremediation Potential

by Soroush Salmani-Ghabeshi, Ximena Fadic-Ruiz, Conrado Miró-Rodríguez, Eduardo Pinilla-Gil and Francisco Cereceda-Balic

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(2), 713; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11020713 - 13 Jan 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1858

Abstract

The present work investigates the uptake of selected trace elements (Cu, Sb, As, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr, Mn, Ni, V, and Co) from soil and their accumulation in the biomass samples (leaves and flowers) of three selected native plants (namely Oenothera picensis, OP; Sphaeralcea velutina, SV; and Argemone subfusiformis, AS) around an industrial area (Puchuncaví-Ventanas) located in the Puchuncaví valley, in the central region of Chile. Primary emission sources in the area come from a copper refinery, coal-fired power plants, and a set of 14 other different industrial facilities. Trace element measurements in the native plants of this area and the ability to transfer of these pollutants from soil to plants (transfer factor) have been assessed in order to identify the potential use of these plant species for phytoremediation. Preliminary results showed a high concentration of trace elements in the OP, SV, and AS samples. The concentration of these elements in the plants was found to be inversely correlated to the distance of the primary emission sources. Moreover, the high concentrations of trace elements such as Cu, As, Cr and V, upon the toxic limits in the native plant species, suggest the need for continuous monitoring of the region. The OP species was identified as the plant with the highest capacity for trace elements accumulation, which also showed higher accumulation potential in whole aerial parts than in leaves. Transfer factor values suggested that these native plants had phytoremediation potential for the elements Cu, Pb, As, Ni, and Cr. This study provides preliminary baseline information on the trace element compositions of important native plants and soil in the Puchuncaví-Ventanas area for phytoremediation purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Contaminated Soils: Green Remediation Strategies)

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11 pages, 1390 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Mobility of U and Th in a U-enriched Area (Central Portugal)

by Margarida Antunes, António Santos, Teresa Valente and Teresa Albuquerque

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(21), 7866; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10217866 - 6 Nov 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1636

Abstract

Uranium and thorium are toxic in different environments. The exploitation of uranium mines and associated mine drainage leaching towards streams, sediments, and soils cause relevant pollution. The U-mine areas present high concentrations of potentially toxic elements with several consequences to ecosystems and human health. Physicochemical and potentially toxic elements of mine dumps, stream sediments, and soils from the Canto Lagar uranium mine area (Central Portugal) were analyzed. Stream sediments, soils, and mine dumps show a large range in the concentration values of Fe, U, As, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Th, suggesting geological and mine contributions. Most of the selected potential toxic elements from sediments present a low to moderate contamination degree, except for As, W, and U, which vary between high and very high contamination index. The soils must not be used in agricultural or residential activities due to contamination in As and U. This abandoned mine represents an environmental risk due to the spatial mobility and dispersion of potentially toxic elements from the dumps to the sediments and soils, as well as by surface runoff and wind. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Contaminated Soils: Green Remediation Strategies)

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17 pages, 2123 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A High Manganese-Tolerant Pseudomonas sp. Strain Isolated from Metallurgical Waste Heap Can Be a Tool for Enhancing Manganese Removal from Contaminated Soil

by Magdalena Noszczyńska, Karolina Łakomy, Krzysztof Nowacki and Zofia Piotrowska-Seget

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(16), 5717; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10165717 - 18 Aug 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3437

Abstract

Manganese (Mn) is widely used in industry. However, its extensive applications have generated a great amount of manganese waste, which has become an ecological problem and has led to a decrease in natural resources. The use of microorganisms capable of accumulating Mn ions from contaminated ecosystems offers a potential alternative for the removal and recovery of this metal. The main aim of this work was an investigation of removal potential of Mn from soil by isolated bacterial. For this purpose, eleven bacterial strains were isolated from the soil from metallurgical waste heap in Upper Silesia, Poland. Strain named 2De with the highest Mn removal potential was selected and characterized taking into account its ability for Mn sorption and bioaccumulation from soil and medium containing manganese dioxide. Moreover, the protein profile of 2De strain before and after exposition to Mn was analyzed using SDS/PAGE technique. The 2De strain was identified as a Pseudomonas sp. The results revealed that this strain has an ability to grow at high Mn concentration and possesses an enhanced ability to remove it from the solution enriched with the soil or manganese dioxide via a biosorption mechanism. Moreover, changes in cellular protein expression of the isolated strain were observed. This study demonstrated that autochthonous 2De strain can be an effective tool to remove and recover Mn from contaminated soil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Contaminated Soils: Green Remediation Strategies)

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15 pages, 1740 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Uptake of Potentially Toxic Elements by Four Plant Species Suitable for Phytoremediation of Turin Urban Soils

by Elisa Gaggero, Mery Malandrino, Debora Fabbri, Giorgio Bordiglia, Anna Fusconi, Marco Mucciarelli, Paolo Inaudi and Paola Calza

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(11), 3948; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10113948 - 6 Jun 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2433

Abstract

This study investigated the concentrations of 22 elements in two Turin urban soils located in the city center (Campana Street garden (CA)) and in a peripheral area (Nobile Park (NOB)). The former was found contaminated by Pb, Zn, Ba, Cr and Ni and, to a lower degree, by As, Co, Cu and Cd, while the latter showed high concentrations of Co, Cr and Ni. The nature of Cr, Ni and Co in both sites is mainly geogenic, whereas the high content of Pb, Zn, Ba, As, Cu and Cd in the CA soil is probably due to exposure to atmospheric deposition linked to emissions from motor vehicles, domestic and industrial burning of fossil fuels and industrial emissions. We evaluated the uptake of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) by four plant species suitable for phytoremediation (Brassica juncea, Helianthus annuus, Zea mays and Pteris vittata) in controlled conditions in CA and NOB soils in order to assess their efficiency in the absorption of PTEs and suitability to restore the CA site. Results highlighted a different uptake ability of the plants according to the considered element; for example, Brassica juncea demonstrated a great capability in cadmium uptake. The effect of a soil improver, derived from the composting of green and organic waste, on absorption efficiency was also studied and it altered uptake preferences of specific elements by the tested plant species, thus suggesting that its use has to be evaluated according to the target. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Contaminated Soils: Green Remediation Strategies)

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15 pages, 3307 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Sulfadimethoxine, Oxytetracycline, and Streptomycin Antibiotics in Three Types of Crop Plants—Root, Leafy, and Fruit

by Reep Pandi Tasho, Song-Hee Ryu and Jae-Young Cho

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(3), 1111; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10031111 - 7 Feb 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3664

Abstract

(1) Background: Plants act as the natural sink for a variety of toxins in the environment, including veterinary antibiotics (VAs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the uptake and fate of sulfadimethoxine (SDZ), oxytetracycline (OTC), and streptomycin (STR) in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), carrot (Daucus carota), and pepper (Capsicum annum) grown in VAs amended soil. (2) Methods: 0, 50, and 100 mg kg⁻¹ VA laced manure was applied in a sandy clay loam soil. (3) Results: 30-d (lettuce) and 60-d (carrot and pepper) greenhouse experiment showed that SDZ and OTC were taken up by all three plants, with concentrations in plant tissue ranging from 0.1 to 1.2 mg kg⁻¹ dry weight. The concentration of VAs in plant tissues increased with a corresponding increase of antibiotics in manure. The highest plant tissue concentrations were found in carrot and lettuce, followed by pepper. An increase in NADPH P450 reductase and glutathione-s-transferase enzyme activity with increasing SDZ and OTC concentration was evident, signifying the induction of the detoxification process. The activity of plant detoxification enzymes under STR treatment was found not to be significantly different from control. (4) Conclusions: These results raise potential human health concerns of consuming low levels of antibiotics from produce grown on manure-amended soils. The result indicates that SDZ, OTC, and STR antibiotics posed high, medium, and low acute ecological risks in lettuce, carrot, and pepper plants when grown in sandy clay loam soil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Contaminated Soils: Green Remediation Strategies)

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12 pages, 1279 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Humic Acid Reduces the Available Cadmium, Copper, Lead, and Zinc in Soil and Their Uptake by Tobacco

by Qun Rong, Kai Zhong, He Huang, Chuanzhang Li, Chaolan Zhang and Xinyu Nong

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(3), 1077; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10031077 - 6 Feb 2020

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 5032

Abstract

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is a crop that is able to accumulate metals. In this study, humic acid was selected as a Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn passivator, and added to calcareous field soil in amounts of 6.4, 10.3, and 14.8 kg·ha⁻¹. Its impact on the soil fractions of the metals in the soil was extracted by the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction method, and their accumulation of the metals in tobacco leaves was investigated. Application of 14.8 kg·ha⁻¹ humic acid decreased the DTPA-extracted concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu by 39%, 37%, 29%, and 18%, respectively, as compared with untreated soil. The fractions of Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn in soil were extracted by the BCR sequential extraction method, and the relationship between the difference metal fractions in the soil and the metal contents in the plant materials were analyzed. The exchangeable fractions of Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn and the reducible fractions of Pb and Cu are the main bioavailable fractions. Additionally, the reducible fractions of Cd and Zn, the oxidizable fractions of Pb, Cu, and Zn, and all residual fractions of metals were nonbioavailable fractions in the soil. The soils were treated with humic acid (HA) to shift bioavailable metals to stable phases that were less bioavailable. The available Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn were strongly retained in the soil after the application of humic acid, which decreased the uptake in tobacco in the upper, middle, and lower leaves. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Contaminated Soils: Green Remediation Strategies)

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14 pages, 1836 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Suitability of Short Rotation Coppice Crops for Phytoremediation of Urban Soils

by Elio Padoan, Iride Passarella, Marco Prati, Sara Bergante, Gianni Facciotto and Franco Ajmone-Marsan

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(1), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10010307 - 31 Dec 2019

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2564

Abstract

This experiment was aimed at verifying the usefulness of phytoremediation using Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) in an urban Zn-contaminated site. Besides elemental uptake and reclamation, the SRC method was applied to evaluate the additional benefits of a green infrastructure. Nine different plants with rapid growth and large biomass production were selected: three Populus clones, three Salix hybrids, and three Robinia genotypes. Annual and biennial coppicing were evaluated. Poplar clones were more productive using annual coppicing, while Salix and Robinia produced higher biomass in blocks not coppiced. Poplar had the highest phytoextraction rate during the second year, with 1077 g/ha. Salix clones S1 and S3 extracted similar quantities using biennial coppicing. After two years, the bioavailable fraction of Zn decreased significantly using all species, from the 26% decrease of Robinia to the 36% decrease of Salix. The short rotation coppice method proved to be useful in an urban context, for both landscape and limiting the access to the contaminated area. Improving the biomass yield through the phytomanagement options (fertilization, irrigation, coppicing, etc.) could make SRC phytoremediation an economic and effective solution to manage urban contaminated areas, coupling the added values of biomass production to the landscape benefits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Contaminated Soils: Green Remediation Strategies)

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13 pages, 1968 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combined Effect of Ferrous Ion and Biochar on Cadmium and Arsenic Accumulation in Rice

by Qun Rong, Kai Zhong, Fangyuan Li, He Huang, Chuanzhang Li, Xinyu Nong and Chaolan Zhang

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(1), 300; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10010300 - 31 Dec 2019

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3962

Abstract

Excessive accumulation of cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in rice (Oryza sativa L.) poses a potential health risk to populations. Cd and As exhibit opposite geochemical behavior in paddy soil, using appropriate remediation materials to reduce their migration and inhibit their uptake by rice is a great challenge. A pot culture experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of application of silkworm excrement biochar (BC) and ferrous sulfate (Fe(II)) on available Cd and As in paddy soils and their uptake by rice. Results showed that the application of BC + Fe significantly accelerated the tillering of rice plants, and the addition of BC alone to soil did not have a significant effect on the pH of soil, while applied 1% (w/w) BC and 1% (w/w) Fe(II) (1BC-1 Fe(II)) treatment could markedly reduce the soil pH. BC+Fe(II) could reduce the content of available Cd (reduced by 10%–23%) and As (reduced by 6%–33%) in soil. BC+Fe(II) has a distinct decreasing effect on the available As, thus inhibiting As uptake in rice tissues, and the effect was more obvious with an increasing mass ratio of Fe in BC+Fe(II) treatment. BC+Fe(II) decreased bioaccumulation factors (BF) of As compared to control and BC alone treatments. Compared with As, Cd was more readily transferred from the root to the shoot and accumulated in rice eventually. These findings provide a safe and reliable remediation strategy though application of BC+Fe(II) in Cd and As co-contaminated soil. However, the improvement effect of amendments should be paid a special attention on soil pH. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Contaminated Soils: Green Remediation Strategies)

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22 pages, 1507 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Remediation of Organically Contaminated Soil Through the Combination of Assisted Phytoremediation and Bioaugmentation

by Mikel Anza, Oihane Salazar, Lur Epelde, José María Becerril, Itziar Alkorta and Carlos Garbisu

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(22), 4757; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9224757 - 7 Nov 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3953

Abstract

Here, we aimed to bioremediate organically contaminated soil with Brassica napus and a bacterial consortium. The bioaugmentation consortium consisted of four endophyte strains that showed plant growth-promoting traits (three Pseudomonas and one Microbacterium) plus three strains with the capacity to degrade organic compounds (Burkholderia xenovorans LB400, Paenibacillus sp. and Lysinibacillus sp.). The organically contaminated soil was supplemented with rhamnolipid biosurfactant and sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate to increase the degradability of the sorbed contaminants. Soils were treated with organic amendments (composted horse manure vs. dried cow slurry) to promote plant growth and stimulate soil microbial activity. Apart from quantification of the expected decrease in contaminant concentrations (total petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), the effectiveness of our approach was assessed in terms of the recovery of soil health, as reflected by the values of different microbial indicators of soil health. Although the applied treatments did not achieve a significant decrease in contaminant concentrations, a significant improvement of soil health was observed in our amended soils (especially in soils amended with dried cow slurry), pointing out a not-so-uncommon situation in which remediation efforts fail from the point of view of the reduction in contaminant concentrations while succeeding to recover soil health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Contaminated Soils: Green Remediation Strategies)

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Review

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18 pages, 1528 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Constructed Technosols: A Strategy toward a Circular Economy

by Debora Fabbri, Romeo Pizzol, Paola Calza, Mery Malandrino, Elisa Gaggero, Elio Padoan and Franco Ajmone-Marsan

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(8), 3432; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11083432 - 12 Apr 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4412

Abstract

Soil is a non-renewable natural resource. However, the current rates of soil usage and degradation have led to a loss of soil for agriculture, habitats, biodiversity, and to ecosystems problems. Urban and former industrial areas suffer particularly of these problems, and compensation measures to restore environmental quality include the renaturation of dismissed areas, de-sealing of surfaces, or the building of green infrastructures. In this framework, the development of methodologies for the creation of soils designed to mimic natural soil and suitable for vegetation growth, known as constructed soils or technosols, are here reviewed. The possible design choices and the starting materials have been described, using a circular economy approach, i.e., preferring non-contaminated wastes to non-renewable resources. Technosols appear to be a good solution to the problems of land degradation and urban green if using recycled wastes or by-products, as they can be an alternative to the remediation of contaminated sites and to importing fertile agricultural soil. Nevertheless, waste use requires analysis to ensure the salubrity of the starting materials. Moreover, materials produced on site or nearby minimize the cost and the environmental impact of transport, thus the involvement of local stakeholders in the urban land management must be encouraged. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Contaminated Soils: Green Remediation Strategies)

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