25 August 2017
Contamination of soil by copper (Cu) has become a serious problem throughout the world, causing the reduction of agricultural yield and harmful effects on human health by entering the food chain. A glasshouse pot experiment was designed to evaluate t...
Phytoremediation is a cost-effective technique to remediate heavy metal (HM) polluted sites. However, the toxic effects of HM can limit plant establishment and development, reducing phytoremediation effectiveness. Therefore, the addition of organic a...
The management of mine waste has become an urgent issue, especially in semi-arid environments. In this context, and with an aim to inhibit the oxidation of the sulfide tailings of the abandoned mine of Kettara in Morocco, a store-and-release (SR) cov...
4 March 2020
In-situ remediation of heavy-metal-contaminated soil in farmland using phytostabilization combined with soil amendments is a low-cost and effective technology for soil pollution remediation. In this study, coconut shell biochar (CB, 0.1% and 0.5%), o...
Understanding the temporal effects of organic matter input and water influx on metal lability and translocation is critical to evaluate the success of the phytostabilization of metalliferous mine tailings. Trends of metal lability, e.g., V, Cr, Mn, C...
23 December 2017
The experiment was carried out in order to evaluate the effects of trace element immobilizing soil amendments, i.e., chalcedonite, dolomite, halloysite, and diatomite on the chemical characteristics of soil contaminated with Cr and the uptake of meta...
The expansion of rare earth element (REE) mining has raised concerns about the environmental risks associated with radioactive elements, particularly thorium (Th) and uranium (U), which commonly occur alongside REE-bearing minerals. We investigated t...
Aided phytostabilization—combining soil amendments with tolerant vegetation—has proven effective in improving soil properties and reducing potentially toxic elements (PTE) mobility in polluted soils, yet long-term studies are scarce. This...
Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (ECO2) is a key climatic factor influencing the resilience of plant–microbial symbiotic systems against heavy metal contamination. Robinia pseudoacacia–rhizobia symbiosis shows great potential for cadmi...
Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) contaminated soils have increased recently, resulting in limited crop productivity. The ameliorative role of potassium (K) and silicon (Si) is well established in plants under heavy metals stress; however, their combined ro...
The chemical properties, ecotoxicity, and microbiome of leachates from phytomanaged Cu-contaminated soils were analyzed. The phytomanagement was carried out using Cu-tolerant poplar Populus trichocarpa × deltoides cv. Beaupré and black b...
The abandoned Kettara pyrrhotite mine (Marrakech region, Morocco) is a real source of acid mine drainage (AMD) and heavy metal pollution from previous mining operations—which has spread, particularly because of wind erosion. A store-and-release...
This case study is the second of three which we have been conducting on different industrial waste landfills. We are planning a fourth study comparing the three landfills. Phytostabilization, including assisted phytostabilization, is a measure of red...
Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are major environmental pollutants, and the accumulation of these elements in soils and plants is of great concern in agricultural production due to their toxic effects on crop growth. Also, these elements can enter into th...
The addition of soil amendments and plants in heavy metal-contaminated soil can result in a significant impact on physicochemical properties, microbial communities and heavy metal distribution, but the specific mechanisms remain to be explored. In th...
The abandoned Kettara pyrrhotite mine, located near Marrakech, Morocco, is an acid mine drainage (AMD) producer site. A store-and-release cover system made of phosphate wastes was built to prevent water infiltration and the formation of AMD. This cov...
Soil co-contamination with lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) poses severe environmental risks. This study investigated the effects of 24-epibrassinolide (24-Brs) on Pb and As accumulation in willow (Salix babylonica × S. × leucopithecia ‘N...
Nowadays, there are a multitude of sources of heavy metal pollution which have unwanted effects on this super organism, the soil, which is capable of self-regulation, but limited. Living a healthy life through the consumption of fruits and vegetables...
In response to the growing threat to the quality of the soil environment, new technologies are being developed to protect and remediate contaminated sites. A new approach, namely, assisted phytostabilization, has been used in areas contaminated with...
The increasing demand for mineral resources has generated mine tailings with heavy metals (HM) that negatively impact human and ecosystem health. Therefore, it is necessary to implement strategies that promote the immobilization or elimination of HM,...
Background: Organic amendments are often used for the phytostabilization of heavy metal-contaminated soils. This study investigated the suitability of different municipal waste processing methods for phytostabilization. Methods: The two feedstocks, b...
A field trial was conducted in Inner Mongolia to evaluate the stabilization effects of phyto-stabilization, biochar-stabilization, and their coupled stabilization for As, Cu, Pb, and Zn in soil. Stabilization plants (Achnatherum splendens, Puccinelli...
Growing awareness of the risks posed by pollution of the soil environment is leading to the development of new remediation strategies. The technique of aided phytostabilization, which involves the evaluation of new heavy-metal (HM)-immobilizing amend...
20 August 2020
This study analysed the effect of three alkalizing soil amendments (limestone, dolomite chalcedonite) on aided phytostabilization with Festuca rubra L. depending on the hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) level in contaminated soil. Four different levels of...
Even after remediation, mining impacted soils can leave behind a landscape inhospitable to plant growth and containing residual heavy metals. While phytostabilization can be used to restore such sites by limiting heavy metal spread, it is reliant on...
Mining activities could produce a large volume of spoils, waste rocks, and tailings, which are usually deposited at the surface and become a source of metal pollution. Phytostabilization of the mine spoils could limit the spread of these heavy metals...
Mine tailings in the Cartagena–La Unión district (SE Spain) remain a metal(loid) source decades after mining ceased. This case study evaluated Las Matildes tailings fifteen to seventeen years after a partial restoration carried out in 20...
The presence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils can upset the natural balance and increase the risk of PTE incorporation into the food chain. The use of composite biochar with municipal sewage sludge compost (MSSC/C) can be an effective wa...
When applying an aided phytostabilization in trace-element-contaminated agricultural soil, the cultivation of forage crops instead of edible crops can reduce the trace elements transfer to humans while minimizing the income loss of farmers. The objec...
Current criteria for successful phytostabilization of metalliferous mine wastelands have paid much attention to soil physico-chemical properties and vegetation characteristics. However, it remains poorly understood as to how the soil microbial commun...
(1) Background: sewage sludge is a by-product of wastewater treatment, which needs to be managed appropriately, e.g., in composting processes. The application of municipal sewage sludge composts (MSSCs) as a soil amendment is a potential way to effec...
Ancient grasslands are lost through transformation to agriculture, mining, and urban expansion. Land-use change leads to ecosystem degradation and a subsequent loss of biodiversity. Globally, degraded grasslands have become a priority for restoration...
Chromium (Cr) is a toxic heavy metal discharged into the environment through various anthropogenic sources, which affects soil properties and fertility. Hence, an effective soil restoration strategy is the need of the hour. In this study, a potent Cr...
In recent years, a lot of attention has been given to searching for new additives which will effectively facilitate the process of immobilizing contaminants in the soil. This work considers the role of the enhanced nano zero valent iron (nZVI) strate...
The use of native plants for reforestation and/or remediation in areas contaminated by mining is a technique with low implantation and maintenance costs. The success of this practice depends on the plant species and geochemical processes at the soil&...
A greenhouse pot trial was conducted to investigate the effect of organic amendments combined with triple superphosphate on the bioavailability of heavy metals (HMs), Amorpha fruticosa growth and metal uptake from Pb-Zn mine tailings. Cattle manure c...
The characterization of prospective plants is one of the critical issues in the efficiency and success of the phytoremediation process. Due to adaption and tolerance to different environmental stresses, native plant species have priority in this meth...
Mining activities severely degrade soil quality, impairing ecosystem functioning by reducing organic matter and increasing metal toxicity, which limits plant establishment. This study evaluated the effects of vermicompost and arbuscular mycorrhizal f...
Heavy metals in soil, as selective agents, can change the structure of plant-associated bacterial communities and their metabolic properties, leading to the selection of the most-adapted strains, which might be useful in phytoremediation. Trifolium r...
Investigating the ability of non-hyperaccumulator plants to grow in soils polluted by cadmium (Cd) and their potential for phytostabilization or phytoextraction is essential for assessing their use in phytomanagement efficiency. Therefore, we evaluat...
This study aimed to use organic fertilizers, e.g., compost and manures, and a halophytic plant [wavy-leaved saltbush (Atriplex undulata)] to remediate an agricultural soil polluted with toxic elements. Compost or manure (1% w/w) was added to a pollut...
Nickel is a known hepatotoxic, haemotoxic, pulmonary toxic, nephrotoxic, reproductive toxic, carcinogenic, phytotoxic and neurotoxic agent. The adverse ecological impacts from unnecessary heavy metals include contamination of water and soil which pos...
Soil salinization and contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs), hydrocarbons, and other pollutants represent interconnected environmental challenges, particularly in arid and coastal regions. Conventional remediation technologies are associ...
Mining activity has an adverse impact on the surrounding ecosystem, especially via the release of potentially toxic elements (PTEs); therefore, there is an urgent need to develop efficient technologies to remediate these ecosystems, especially soils....
Two Poaceae species, Agrostis capillaris and Festuca rubra, were selected for their potential as phytostabilizing plants in multicontaminated soils. These species are resistant to contamination and maintain high concentrations of contaminants at the...
Antimony (Sb) is an emerging environmental pollutant due to its toxicity, persistence, and extensive industrial applications. Despite the growing need for sustainable remediation strategies, research on the potential of phytoremediation for Sb-contam...
To gain insight into two different plant strategies (hyperaccumulation and phytostabilization) for managing heavy metals, we conducted a network based functional enrichment analysis. Protein-protein interactions of A. halleri root and shoot were deri...
In soil with extremely high contents of Cd (101.87), Pb (26,526.44), and Zn (17,652.63 mg kg−1), we aimed to test the phytostabilization capacity of purslane (Portulaca oleracea) with the use of various soil improvers, both organic (biochar, co...
The choice of optimal plant species for phytoremediation and organic fertilization plays an important role in stabilizing the functions of soils contaminated with heavy metals. The influence of nickel, cobalt and cadmium on the biomass yield and calo...
In this study, the potential of planted (Tamarix tetrandra Pall. ex M.Bieb. and Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and spontaneously colonized (Amorpha fruticosa L. and Populus alba L.) woody species for the phytoremediation of potentially toxic trace elements...
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