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Phytoremediation using microbially mediated metal accumulation in Sorghum bicolor

  • Alteration and element mobility at the microbe-mineral interface
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Abstract

Reclaiming land that has been anthropogenically contaminated with multiple heavy metal elements, e.g., during mining operations, is a growing challenge worldwide. The use of phytoremediation has been discussed with varying success. Here, we show that a careful examination of options of microbial determination of plant performance is a key element in providing a multielement remediation option for such landscapes. We used both (a) mycorrhiza with Rhizophagus irregularis and (b) bacterial amendments with Streptomyces acidiscabies E13 and Streptomyces tendae F4 to mediate plant-promoting and metal-accumulating properties to Sorghum bicolor. In pot experiments, the effects on plant growth and metal uptake were scored, and in a field trial at a former uranium leaching heap site near Ronneburg, Germany, we could show the efficacy under field conditions. Different metals could be extracted at the same time, with varying microbial inoculation and soil amendment scenarios possible when a certain metal is the focus of interest. Especially, manganese was extracted at very high levels which might be useful even for phytomining approaches.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Research Training Group (DFG-Gk1257) and the Excellence Graduate School for Microbial Communication (JSMC) for financial support. We are grateful to Dr. Hubert Schröter (TLL, Jena), Ulrike Buhler and Ines Kamp (Applied Geology, FSU Jena), Benjamin Funai (Microbial Communication, FSU Jena), and Dr. Christine Fischer (Ecohydrology, FSU Jena) for assistance and help with this interdisciplinary work.

Conflict of interest

There are no potential conflicts of interest.

Compliance with ethical standards

This research does not involve human participants or animals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbial Communication, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Neugasse 25, 07743, Jena, Germany

    René Phieler & Erika Kothe

  2. Applied Geology, Institute of Earth Science, Friedrich Schiller University, Burgweg 11, 07749, Jena, Germany

    Dirk Merten & Georg Büchel

  3. Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll-Institute, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany

    Martin Roth

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  1. René Phieler
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  2. Dirk Merten
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  3. Martin Roth
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  4. Georg Büchel
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  5. Erika Kothe
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Correspondence to Erika Kothe.

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Responsible editor: Robert Duran

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Phieler, R., Merten, D., Roth, M. et al. Phytoremediation using microbially mediated metal accumulation in Sorghum bicolor . Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 19408–19416 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4471-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4471-1

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