Journal of Fundamentals of Renewable Energy and Applications
Open Access

Phytoremediation potential of two energy grasses in soil contaminated with copper, nickel and zinc

Joint Event on 7^th World Congress and Expo on Green Energy & 3^rd World Congress on Wind & Renewable Energy

June 24-25, 2019 Barcelona, Spain

Jolanta Korzeniowska and Ewa Stanislawska-Glubiak

IUNG-PIB, Poland

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Fundam Renewable Energy Appl

Abstract :

Using energy grasses for the phytoremediation could be a profitable solution. The cultivation of these plants on polluted areas could serve both for the remediation and for the production of biomass. Hence, it is important to identify the tolerance of the most common energy grasses to the excess of heavy metals in the soil and to investigate the transfer of metals from the roots to the aboveground organs. Among the grasses, the species such as Miscanthus and Spartina are considered the most promising for renewable energy and phytoremediation purposes. The aim of this work was to assess the suitability of MiscanthusÃ?giganteus and Spartina pectinata to Cu, Ni and Zn phytoremediation. A 2-year microplot experiment with the tested grasses growing on metal-contaminated soil was carried out. Microplots with cement borders, measuring 1x1x1m, were filled with Haplic Luvisols soil. Simulated soil contamination with Cu, Ni and Zn was introduced in the following doses in mg kg-1: 0- no metals, Cu1-100, Cu2-200, Cu3-400, Ni1-60, Ni2-100, Ni3-240, Zn1- 300, Zn2-600, Zn3-1200. The phytoremediation potential of grasses was evaluated using a tolerance index (TI), bioaccumulation factor (BF), bio-concentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF). S. pectinata showed a higher tolerance to soil contamination with Cu, Ni and Zn compared to M. Ã? giganteus. S. pectinata was found to have a high suitability for phytostabilization of Zn, and lower suitability of Cu and Ni. M.Ã?giganteus had a lower phytostabilization potential than S. pectinata. The suitability of both grasses for Zn phytoextraction depended on age of the plants. Both grasses were not suitable for Cu and Ni phytoextraction. The research showed that one-season studies were not valuable for fully assessing the phytoremediation potential of perennial plants.

Recent Publications

1. Li C, Xiao B, Wang Q H, Yao S H and Wu J Y (2014) Phytoremediation of Zn- and Cr-contaminated soil using two promising energy grasses. Water Air Soil Pollut 225(7):2027.

2. Korzeniowska J and Stanislawska-Glubiak E (2019) Phytoremediation potential of Phalaris arundinacea, Salix viminalis and Zea mays for nickel-contaminated soils. Int J Environ Sci Technol. 16(4):1999-2008.

3. Korzeniowska J, Stanislawska-Glubiak E and Igras J (2011) Applicability of energy crops for metal phytostabilization of soils moderately contaminated with copper, nickel and zinc. J Food Agric Environ 9(3- 4):693-697.

4. Redondo-Gómez S (2013) Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in Spartina. Funct Plant Biol 40(9):913-921.

5. Stanislawska-Glubiak E, Korzeniowska J and Kocon A (2014) Effect of peat on the accumulation and translocation of heavy metals by maize grown in contaminated soils. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 22(6):4706-14