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Phytostabilization of metals in mine soils using Brassica juncea in combination with organic amendments

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Abstract

Background and aims

The high metal bioavailability and the poor conditions of mine soils yield a low plant biomass, limiting the application of phytoremediation techniques. A greenhouse experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of organic amendments on metal stabilization and the potential of Brassica juncea L. for phytostabilization in mine soils.

Methods

Plants were grown in pots filled with soils collected from two mine sites located in Central Spain mixed with 0, 30 and 60 t ha−1 of pine bark compost and horse- and sheep-manure compost. Plant biomass and metal concentrations in roots and shoots were measured. Metal bioavailability was assessed using a rhizosphere-based method (rhizo), which consists of a mixture of low-molecular-weight organic acids to simulate root exudates.

Results

Manure reduced metal concentrations in shoots (10–50 % reduction of Cu and 40–80 % of Zn in comparison with non-amended soils), bioconcentration factor (10–50 % of Cu and 40–80 % of Zn) and metal bioavailability in soil (40–50 % of Cu and 10–30 % of Zn) due to the high pH and the contribution of organic matter. Manure improved soil fertility and was also able to increase plant biomass (5–20 times in shoots and 3–30 times in roots), which resulted in a greater amount of metals removed from soil and accumulated in roots (increase of 2–7 times of Cu and Zn). Plants grown in pine bark treatments and in non-amended soils showed a limited biomass and high metal concentrations in shoots.

Conclusions

The addition of manure could be effective for the stabilization of metals and for enhancing the phytostabilization ability of B. juncea in mine soils. In this study, this species resulted to be a potential candidate for phytostabilization in combination with manure, differing from previous results, in which B. juncea had been recognized as a phytoextraction plant.

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Abbreviations

AAS:

Atomic absorption spectrophotometry

BCF:

Bioconcentration factor

E:

Soil of El Cuadron

E0:

Non-amended El Cuadron soil

E30M:

El Cuadron soil mixed with 30 t ha−1 of manure

E60M:

El Cuadron soil mixed with 60 t ha−1 of manure

E30P:

El Cuadron soil mixed with 30 t ha−1 of pine bark

E60P:

El Cuadron soil mixed with 60 t ha−1 of pine bark

DTPA:

Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid

EDTA:

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

G:

Soil of Garganta

G0:

Non-amended Garganta soil

G30M:

Garganta soil mixed with 30 t ha−1 of manure

G60M:

Garganta soil mixed with 60 t ha−1 of manure

G30P:

Garganta soil mixed with 30 t ha−1 of pine bark

G60P:

Garganta soil mixed with 60 t ha−1 of pine bark

M:

Horse- and sheep-manure

OXC:

Oxidizable organic carbon

P:

Pine bark

Rhizo :

Rhizosphere-based method

TF:

Translocation factor

TOC:

Total organic carbon

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the germplasm bank collection of E.T.S.I. Agrónomos, Madrid (Spain), for supplying B. juncea seeds. This work was financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (project CTM2009-13140-C02-01).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Química Orgánica y Bio-Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Paseo de Senda del Rey 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Javier Pérez-Esteban & Consuelo Escolástico

  2. Departamento de Edafología. Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Ana Moliner & Alberto Masaguer

  3. Instituto Madrileño de Investigación y Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y Alimentario (IMIDRA), Finca “El Encín”, Autovía A2 Km 38.200, 28800, Alcalá de Henares, Spain

    Juan Ruiz-Fernández

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  1. Javier Pérez-Esteban
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  2. Consuelo Escolástico
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  3. Ana Moliner
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  4. Alberto Masaguer
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  5. Juan Ruiz-Fernández
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Correspondence to Javier Pérez-Esteban.

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Responsible Editor: Alexia Stokes.

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Pérez-Esteban, J., Escolástico, C., Moliner, A. et al. Phytostabilization of metals in mine soils using Brassica juncea in combination with organic amendments. Plant Soil 377, 97–109 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1629-9

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