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Comparison of ammonium fertilizers, EDTA, and NTA on enhancing the uptake of cadmium by an energy plant, Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach)

  • Soils, Sec 3 • Remediation and Management of Contaminated or Degraded Lands • Research Article
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of enhanced agronomic practices on cadmium (Cd) accumulation in the high-biomass energy plant Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach).

Materials and methods

Potted-plant experiments were performed to investigate the effects of ammonium fertilizers and chelating agents, alone or in combination, on the growth, accumulation of Cd, and phytoextraction efficiency of P. purpureum on Cd-contaminated soil. The fertilizers included ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, and ammonium chloride. The chelating agents included ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA).

Results and discussion

The addition of ammonium fertilizers and chelating agents generally stimulated growth of P. purpureum, and the shoots accounted for 90.1–94.1% of the total biomass. The concentrations of Cd in different parts of P. purpureum plants were in the order root > leaf > stem. Ammonium chloride alone showed effectiveness in increasing root and shoot Cd concentrations compared to other amendments alone. Both EDTA alone and NTA alone significantly decreased root Cd concentration and increased shoot Cd concentration, while EDTA alone was more efficient on shoot and total Cd accumulation than that by NTA alone. The total accumulation of Cd in P. purpureum ranged from 1.10 to 2.05 mg per plant with 47.3–73.5% of Cd accumulation concentrated in shoots. The results indicate that P. purpureum can remove more Cd through phytoextraction than that by other hyperaccumulators.

Conclusions

Ammonium chloride led to the highest total Cd accumulation. Ammonium chloride applied alone or in combination with either EDTA or NTA resulted in the most effective agronomic approaches for P. purpureum phytoextraction of soil Cd.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41301576 and U1305232), the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (20133515120020), and Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (xjq201416).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350002, China

    Yanhui Chen, Mengjiao Liu, Yuwen Deng, Bo Xu, Li Hu, Mingkuang Wang & Guo Wang

  2. College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350002, China

    Fenglin Zhong

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  1. Yanhui Chen
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  2. Mengjiao Liu
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  6. Li Hu
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  7. Mingkuang Wang
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  8. Guo Wang
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Correspondence to Guo Wang.

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Responsible editor: Jaco Vangronsveld

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Chen, Y., Liu, M., Deng, Y. et al. Comparison of ammonium fertilizers, EDTA, and NTA on enhancing the uptake of cadmium by an energy plant, Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach). J Soils Sediments 17, 2786–2796 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-017-1703-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-017-1703-7

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