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Detoxification of Heavy Metals pp 111–128Cite as

Reclamation of Contaminated Mine Ponds Using Marble Wastes, Organic Amendments, and Phytoremediation

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Part of the book series: Soil Biology ((SOILBIOL,volume 30))

Abstract

The environmental impacts of mining activities in southeast Spain include the presence of tailing ponds characterized by acidification, salinity, accumulation of metals, and null vegetation. A field trial was established in two tailing ponds, in which experimental plots were designed, using marble wastes, pig manure, and sewage sludge as amendments to reclaim the mine soils. We monitored the dynamics of heavy metals, soil properties, and vegetation along 5 years after reclamation actions. Results showed that pH increased and remained close to neutrality with time. Although soil organic matter initially increased, it decreased close to initial levels after 5 years owing to mineralization. Bioavailable metals decreased in the amended plots, although increments in some metals after 5 years of monitoring were observed, owing likely to erosion of tailings surface, oxidation of sulphides, and decreases in organic matter, which initially immobilized metals. Amendments activated microbial biomass and activity, which was highest in plots amended with pig manure. The different doses used did not have a great effect. Although untreated plots remained without vegetation, natural plant species spontaneously colonized the amended plots. Increases in vegetation cover and richness were related with the application dose, with pig manure plots having the highest values. Cd, Cu, and Zn bioaccumulation was carried out in most species, while for Pb no bioaccumulation was observed. Thus, the application of organic amendments and marble wastes has proved to be effective for long-term decrease in the bioavailability of most toxic heavy metals to permit the development of vegetation, mitigating erosion risks.

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Acknowledgements

This work has been funded by the Project Nr.: CP-IP 213968–2 IRIS, funded by the European Union FP7. R. Zornoza acknowledges a “Juan de la Cierva” contract from the Ministry of Science and Innovation of the Government of Spain. J.A. Acosta acknowledges a grant from Fundación Séneca of Comunidad Autónoma de Murcia (Spain).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sustainable Use, Management, and Reclamation of Soil and Water Research Group. Department of Agrarian Science and Technology, Technical University of Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII, 52, 30203, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain

    Dora M. Carmona, Raúl Zornoza, Ángel Faz, Silvia Martínez-Martínez & Jose A. Acosta

  2. Environmental Research Group, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Circular 1a #70-01, Medellín, Colombia

    Dora M. Carmona

  3. Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, 1018 WV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jose A. Acosta

Authors
  1. Dora M. Carmona
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  2. Raúl Zornoza
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  3. Ángel Faz
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  4. Silvia Martínez-Martínez
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  5. Jose A. Acosta
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Correspondence to Ángel Faz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Inst. Allgemeine Botanik u. Pflanzenphys, Universität Jena, Dornburger Str. 159, Jena, 07743, Germany

    Irena Sherameti

  2. Amity Institute of Microbial Sciences, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida, 201303, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Ajit Varma

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Carmona, D.M., Zornoza, R., Faz, Á., Martínez-Martínez, S., Acosta, J.A. (2011). Reclamation of Contaminated Mine Ponds Using Marble Wastes, Organic Amendments, and Phytoremediation. In: Sherameti, I., Varma, A. (eds) Detoxification of Heavy Metals. Soil Biology, vol 30. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21408-0_6

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