Abstract
In order to achieve remediation of contaminated substrates, phyto-extraction in pot experiments utilizing lettuce seedlings as universal accumulator plants was investigated. As test substrates, mine tailings from Shiheung and Okdong mines in Korea (particularly high in Pb, Zn, Cu, and Cd), as well as samples from historic mining site at Oberzeiring in Austria (particularly high in Pb, Sb and As) were used, and compared with adjacent farmland soils. After 21 days of growth in the test substrate, the lettuce plants were harvested, and the adjacent soils parted in bulk and root soils. Special soil bacteria, adapted to high Cd levels (Exiguobacter sp.) and capable of adsorbing large amounts of cadmium from solution, as well as perlite (Samson Perlite Inc.) were added to the test substrates before plant growth. Speciation changes in the solids were investigated by sequential leaching, utilizing neutral MgCl2 (exchangeable), 0.16 M acetic acid, hydroxylamine pH 2, oxalate pH 3, H2O2 oxidation, and reflux with aqua regia. Plant growth induced differentiation between root and bulk soils, the differences were more pronounced for the non-contaminated controls. The iron-hydroxide phase increased about 30%, and also the amount of iron-hydroxide bound Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Mg, Mo, Sb and V concentrations, coming mainly from less mobile fractions. The Mn hydroxide phase, however (hydroxylamine), remained rather constant. After plant growth, the root soils were significantly lower in available P, and significantly higher in available Ca, Mn, and Na than the corresponding bulk soils. Addition of Cd-adapted soil bacteria led to a severe decrease of plant yield, but metal uptake changed in both directions. Exchangeable P in both root and bulk soil decreased, and Be, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Ni, and Sr in the residual organic fraction increased. This can be interpreted as competition for nutrients, dissolution of residuals by bacterial action, and adsorption to a tightly bound biomass. Addition of perlite hardly affected the plant yield, and again metal uptake changed in both directions, but led to a decrease of siderophilic elements in the Fe- and Mn hydroxides of the bulk soil. In the root soil, perlite addition above all decreased available K, P and As, with respect to the untreated samples. Bacteria addition to perlite treated soils shifted some elements from weak acid mobile towards less available fractions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anon (1977) ABC des Kopfsalat-Anbaus im Frühbeet und Kleingewächshaus. Obst und Garten, (3), 113–114.
Ahn, J. S., Kim, J. H., Kim, J. G., Song, Y. G., & Moon, H.- S. (2003). Laboratory investigation of the geochemical behaviour of metals in paddy soils contaminated with mine tailings. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 150, 23–42.
BMLF (1999). Guideline: Richtlinien für die sachgerechte Düngung, Bundesministerium für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Wien 1999. Vienna, Austria: Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (guidelines for appropriate fertilization).
Chon, H. T., Ahn, J. S., & Jung, M. C. (1998). Heavy metal contamination in the vicinity of some base metal mines in Korea; A review. Geosystem Engineering, 1(2), 74–83, Ch.
Chon, H. T., Ahn, J. S., & Jung, M. C. (2005). Heavy metal contamination around the abandoned Au–Ag and base metal mine sites in Korea. Korea Society of Economic and Environmental Geology, 38(2), 101–111.
Dai, J., Becquer, Th., Rouiller, J. H., Reversat, G., Bernhard-Reversat, F., & Lavelle, P. (2004). Influence of heavy metals on C and N mineralisation and microbial biomass in Zn-, Pb-, Cu-, and Cd-contaminated soils. Applied Soil Ecology, 25(2), 99–109.
Ebner, F., Gaisberger, G., & Prochaska, W. (2002). Schwermetalle in landwirtschaftlich genutzten Böden im Blahbachtal östlich Oberzeiring. Report for the Project P 3. Mining University Leoben, Austria.
Ehrendorfer, K. (1957). Die Salatmethode. Die Bodenkultur, 9, 275–297.
Gaisberger, G., Ebner, F., Prochaska, W., & Sager, M. (2003). Environmental impact of historic mining and metallurgy to soils (Oberzeiring – Eastern Alps). In Eliopoulos, et al. (Ed.), Mineral Exploration and Sustainable Development (25–28). Rotterdam: Millpress.
Kandeler, E., Kampichler, C., & Horak, O. (1996). Influence of heavy metals on the functional diversity of soil microbial communities. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 23, 299–306.
Khan, A. G., Kuek, C., Chaudhry, T. M., & Hayes, W. J. (2000). Role of plants, mycorrhizae and phytochelators in heavy metal contaminated land remediation. Chemosphere, 41, 197–207.
Krug, H., Liebig, H. P., & Stützel, H. (2002). Gemüseproduktion. Stuttgart-Hohenheim: Eugen Ulmer Verlag.
Lee, S. Y. (2002). The effects of chelating agents and metal speciations in phytoremediation. Seoul National University, Master Thesis.
Lee, J. S., & Chon, H. T. (2003). Exposure assessment of heavy metals on abandoned metal mine areas by ingestion of soil, crop plant and groundwater. Journal de Physics IV France, 107, 757–760.
Mench, M., & Martin, E. (1991). Mobilization of cadmium and other metals from two soils by root exudates of Zea mays L., Nicotiana tabacum L., and Nicotiana rustica L. Plant and Soil, 132, 187–196.
Park, J. H. (2003). Seoul National University, Master Thesis.
Puschenreiter, M., & Wenzel, W. W. (2003). Rhizosphären- Management zur Optimierung von Nährstoff- und Schadstoffgehalt in der Pflanze. Mitteilungen der Österreichischen Bodenkundlichen Gesellschaft, 69, 97.
Shetty, K. G., Hetrick, B. A. D., & Schwab, A. P. (1995). Effects of mycorrhizae and fertilizer amendments on zinc tolerance of plants. Environmental Pollution, 88, 307–314.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sager, M., Park, J.H. & Chon, H.T. The Effect of Soil Bacteria and Perlite on Plant Growth and Soil Properties in Metal Contaminated Samples. Water Air Soil Pollut 179, 265–281 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-006-9230-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-006-9230-y