Phytostabilization of Acidic Soils with Heavy Metal Contamination Using Three Forage Grasses in Combination with Organic and Inorganic Amendments

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of organic and inorganic amendments on metal stabilization and the potential of three forage grasses, i.e., Pennisetum americanum × Pennisetum, Euchlaena mexicana, and Sorghum dochna, for phytostabilization of acidic heavy metal-contaminated soils. The three grasses died 5 days after transplanting into the contaminated soils. Organic fertilizer (pig slurry and plant ash) only or combined with lime, NPK fertilizer, and sewage sludge resulted in adequate grass growth in the contaminated soils through a significant increase in the soil pH, N, P, K, and organic matter contents, and a decrease in the metal concentrations. The shoot biomass of P. americanum×P. purpureum and S. dochna was 1.92 and 2.00 times higher than that of E. Mexicana. The solubility of Cd, Pb, and Zn strongly depends on organic matter, while the solubility of Cu strongly depends on both soil organic matter and pH. The concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn in plant shoots growing in soil with a mixed amendment were significantly lower than plants growing in soil amended with an organic fertilizer only, whereas the Cu concentrations in plant shoots exhibited the opposite trend. The results indicated that 5% organic fertilizer only or combined with 5% sewage sludge were appropriate amendments and S. dochna and P. americanum × Pennisetum are suitable plants for phytostabilization of acidic heavy metal-polluted soils.     

Manure Application and Cannabis Cultivation Influence on Speciation of Lead and Cadmium by Selective Sequential Extraction

The contamination of agricultural soils by heavy metals is a worldwide problem. Degradation of organic matter (OM) from organic amendments used in the remediation of metal-contaminated soils leads to changes in soil chemical properties shortly after their addition, which may affect the soil metal distribution. The effects of four differing organic amendments on chemical forms of Pb and Cd in a contaminated soil were investigated in a pot experiment of control unamended soil and soils amended with dry cow and poultry manures (20 g CM or PM kg^?1 soil), and cow and poultry manure extracts (2 g CME or PME kg^?1 soil) cultured with cannabis sativa. After eight weeks, a sequential extraction scheme was used to fractionate soil Pb and Cd into soluble-exchangeable (Sol-Exch), organic matter associated (AOM), and carbonates associated (ACar) forms. The addition of animal manures and their extracts increased the DTPA-extractable Pb and Cd in soil significantly. Soil Pb and Cd in Sol-Exch fraction were increased by manure applications. Both Pb and Cd in AOM fraction were increased by application of manures and their extracts. This increase was more obvious for Pb in application of cow and poultry manure extracts. The ACar chemical forms of Pb and Cd were also increased by application of manures and their extracts. The increases of Pb and Cd in Acar fraction was noticeable in soils treated with cow manure. Soil cultivation with cannabis sativa increased available, Sol-Exch, and AOM chemical forms of Pb in soil significantly compared to control soil. However, soil Pb and Cd in ACar fraction were decreased significantly by cannabis cultivation. The effect of cannabis cultivation on all of the Cd chemical forms (except on Sol-Exch) was similar to the results of Pb chemical forms. Plant cultivation had no significant effect on Cd in Sol-Exch chemical form.     

Heavy metal leaching from mine tailings as affected by organic amendments

A column experiment was conducted to investigate Zn, Cd, and Pb leaching from mine tailings as affected by the addition of organic amendments. Composted yard waste, composted cattle manure, and cattle manure aged for one month increased heavy metal leaching from mine tailings when compared to an unamended control. Aged cattle manure and composted cattle manure significantly increased Zn concentration in the leachate. The maximum Zn concentration in leachate from the manure-amended treatments was as high as 3.7 mg/L, whereas Zn concentrations from the control were less than 0.7 mg/L. All organic amendments increased Cd leachate concentrations. The presence of aged cattle manure greatly increased Pb concentrations in the leachate from less than 10 microg/L for the control treatment to higher than 60 microg/L. Lead concentration in leachate was positively correlated with inorganic carbon, total organic carbon, total carbon and bicarbonate. Although organic amendments increased Zn, Cd, and Pb leaching when compared with the control treatment, Zn concentrations were lower than the 5 mg/L secondary drinking water standard, and Pb concentrations were only minimally higher than the 15 microg/L drinking water standard. Cadmium concentrations from manure treatments exceeded the 5 microg/L drinking water standard but only during the first 15 days. Organic amendments may encourage establishment of vegetation in mining areas that may minimize heavy metal contamination through runoff and erosion. However, increased risk due to heavy metal leaching in the presence of organic amendments should be carefully considered.     

有机物料与锌肥配施对石灰性土壤锌有效性及形态转化的影响

采用尼龙网袋田间填埋培养法探究了外源施锌条件下石灰性土壤Zn有效性及形态转化对不同有机物料(作物秸秆、生物菌肥、黄腐酸和腐熟鸡粪)的响应.结果表明:与对照相比,Zn肥单施和与有机物料配施均显著提高了土壤全Zn含量(7.2%~13.8%)和DTPA-Zn含量(2.1~2.8倍).在施Zn条件下,有机物料对土壤全Zn和DTPA-Zn的贡献量表现为腐熟鸡粪>生物菌肥>玉米秸秆>黄腐酸,但外源锌的DTPA-Zn转化率以添加秸秆和生物菌肥处理最高.与单施Zn肥相比,有机物料与Zn配施处理显著提高了土壤有机质含量,促进了松结有机态Zn的形成,进而提高了土壤Zn转移因子,降低了Zn分配指数.不同物料与Zn肥配施土壤Zn有效性及形态转化之间存在差异,这可能与有机物料自身性质如腐熟度和含Zn量有关.尽管秸秆与Zn配施对DTPA-Zn含量的提升效果不及生物菌肥或腐熟鸡粪与Zn配施,但综合考虑环境和经济效益,其仍是改善缺锌石灰性土壤Zn有效性的最佳选择.     

Conventional crops and organic amendments for Pb, Cd and Zn treatment at a severely contaminated site

The ability of selected plants and amendments to treat Pb, Cd and Zn accumulations from a metalliferous waste disposal site was studied both in the greenhouse and field. Spinach (Spinacea oleracea), cabbage (Brassica oleracea), and a grass-legume mix (red fescue, Festuca rubra; ryegrass, Lolium perenne); and bean (Vicia faba) were grown in the greenhouse on blast furnace slag or baghouse dust amended with composted peat (CP). All plant species accumulated Pb, Cd and Zn to varying degrees. Total soil metal concentrations had a marked influence on plant uptake. Topdressing versus incorporating CP had a significant (p<0.05) effect on spinach and cabbage tissue metal concentrations. Soil Pb and Zn tended to shift towards less bioavailable forms after treatment with CP. Field plots were treated with CP, farmyard manure (FYM), or inorganic fertilizer. Dry matter production of spinach, cabbage and a grass-legume mix was greatest on either the CP or FYM treatments. Phytostabilization in combination with organic amendments may be the most appropriate technology to ensure stabilization of soil metals at this site.     

有机物料对污染土壤上水稻生长和重金属吸收的影响

采用盆栽试验,研究了施用有机碳源、菜籽饼和猪粪对污染土壤上水稻生长和重金属吸收特性的影响.结果表明： 施用菜籽饼和猪粪均能缓解重金属对水稻的毒害作用,促进水稻生长,显著增加地上部生物量和籽粒产量,降低糙米中重金属浓度;而有机碳源抑制水稻生长.与施用化肥相比,施用菜籽饼和猪粪处理的水稻籽粒产量分别增加128.3%和67.9%;施用菜籽饼处理的糙米Cd、Cu和Zn浓度分别降低47.6%、35.2%和21.5%,施用猪粪处理分别降低9.5%、21.2%和9.3%.土壤中DTPA提取态重金属浓度与水稻地上部生物量和重金属积累总量呈显著负相关.     

The Chemophytostabilisation Process of Heavy Metal Polluted Soil

Industrial areas are characterised by soil degradation processes that are related primarily to the deposition of heavy metals. Areas contaminated with metals are a serious source of risk due to secondary pollutant emissions and metal leaching and migration in the soil profile and into the groundwater. Consequently, the optimal solution for these areas is to apply methods of remediation that create conditions for the restoration of plant cover and ensure the protection of groundwater against pollution. Remediation activities that are applied to large-scale areas contaminated with heavy metals should mainly focus on decreasing the degree of metal mobility in the soil profile and metal bioavailability to levels that are not phytotoxic. Chemophytostabilisation is a process in which soil amendments and plants are used to immobilise metals. The main objective of this research was to investigate the effects of different doses of organic amendments (after aerobic sewage sludge digestion in the food industry) and inorganic amendments (lime, superphosphate, and potassium phosphate) on changes in the metals fractions in soils contaminated with Cd, Pb and Zn during phytostabilisation. In this study, the contaminated soil was amended with sewage sludge and inorganic amendments and seeded with grass (tall fescue) to increase the degree of immobilisation of the studied metals. The contaminated soil was collected from the area surrounding a zinc smelter in the Silesia region of Poland (pH 5.5, Cd 12 mg kg^-1, Pb 1100 mg kg^-1, Zn 700 mg kg^-1). A plant growth experiment was conducted in a growth chamber for 5 months. Before and after plant growth, soil subsamples were subjected to chemical and physical analyses. To determine the fractions of the elements, a sequential extraction method was used according to Zeien and Brümmer. Research confirmed that the most important impacts on the Zn, Cd and Pb fractions included the combined application of sewage sludge from the food industry and the addition of lime and potassium phosphate. Certain doses of inorganic additives decreased the easily exchangeable fraction from 50% to 1%. The addition of sewage sludge caused a decrease in fraction I for Cd and Pb. In combination with the use of inorganic additives, a mobile fraction was not detected and an easily mobilisable fraction was reduced by half. For certain combinations of metals, the concentrations were detected up to a few percent. The application of sewage sludge resulted in a slight decrease in a mobile (water soluble and easily exchangeable metals) fraction of Zn, but when inorganic additives were applied, this fraction was not detected. The highest degree of immobilisation of the tested heavy metals relative to the control was achieved when using both sewage sludge and inorganic additives at an experimentally determined dose. The sequential extraction results confirmed this result. In addition, the results proved that the use of the phytostabilisation process on contaminated soils should be supported.     

Effect of Organic Residues and Liming Materials on Metal Extraction from a Mining-Contaminated Soil

Incubation tests were used to assess the effectiveness of three different organic residues and three different liming materials, alone or in combination, in the remediation of a mine contaminated soil. The organic residues tested were sewage sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (SS), compost from the organic fraction of unsorted municipal solid waste (MSWC), and garden waste compost (GWC), applied at 100 and 200 Mg ha^{? 1}. The liming materials tested were agriculture limestone (6.4 Mg ha^{? 1}), calcium oxide (3.7 Mg ha^{? 1}), and sugar beet sludge (12.2 Mg ha^{? 1}) from the sugar manufacturing process. The soil and mixtures of soil and amendments were adjusted to 70% of the maximum water holding capacity and incubated for 28 days in a controlled-temperature room at 20°C ± 1°C. At the end of the incubation, samples were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter content, CaCl₂-extractable, and' NH4Ac/HAc+ EDTA–extractable metal fractions (Cu, Zn, and Pb). Correlations among the variables and/or similarities among the treatments were identified by principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. The amendments tested decreased the CaCl₂-extractable Cu and Zn fractions, considered as mobile metal fractions, to below analytical detectable limits, providing organic matter to the soil with levels between 1% and 2% at the end of the experiment, significantly different relatively to the original soil. pH and electrical conductivity reached high values when using 200 Mg ha^{? 1} SS or 200 Mg ha^{? 1} MSWC, with any of the liming materials tested, making these application rates excessive for this particular situation. Furthermore, the treatments using MSWC increased the NH4Ac/HAc+ EDTA–extractable Cu, Pb, and Zn fractions, considered as mobilizable metal fractions, as did the 200 Mg ha^{? 1} SS for Pb and Zn. Considering the overall results, the compost made from garden waste decreased metal solubility in the soil and increased soil pH and organic matter content, without the addition of large amounts of soluble salts, and without increasing the mobilizable metal content. Of the organic materials tested, this was the only one that can be considered adequate for remediation of the contaminated soil under study, at the application rates tested.     

In-Situ Remediation of Lead–Zinc Polymetallic Mine Contaminated Soils by MnFe2O4 Microparticles

In-situ remediation is a practical approach to remediate soils contaminated with heavy metals. The MnFe₂O₄ microparticles (MM) were prepared for the in-situ remediation of contaminated soils from a lead–zinc polymetallic mine in Inner Mongolia province, China. The effects of MM dosage, pH on remediation efficiency, were determined with static vibration leaching experiment, and the release risk of heavy metals of treated soil was studied by column leaching experiment. The results showed that the leached Cu, Pb, Zn, and As concentration decreased drastically with increasing MM dosage, when the dosage was lower than 10 g/kg. Moreover, the decrease of pH caused increase of leached concentration of Cu, Pb, Zn, but slight decrease of leached As concentration. For the amended soil, concentrations of leached heavy metals were lower than Grade III limit of Chinese Environmental Quality Standards for Ground and Surface water (GB3838-2002) under simulated acid rain leaching condition. In comparison with non-amended soils, the total amount of Cu, Pb, Zn, and As release from amended soils was reduced by 93.6%, 69.2%, 57.0%, and 99.7%, respectively. The MM is a kind of promising amendment for heavy metals contaminated soil.     

Metal accumulation and growth performance of Phaseolus vulgaris grown in fly ash amended soil

Phytoextraction of heavy metals from fly ash (FA) contaminated soil was evaluated using Phaseolus vulgaris var. T55. The results showed that electrical conductivity (EC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic carbon (OC) and organic matter (OM) of different amendments decreased with the addition of FA in the soil. The level of diethylene triaminepenta acetic acid (DTPA) extractable metals increased with increase in FA amendments up to 25%. However, Cr was found below detection limit in both the amendments. The metal accumulation in the plant tissues was found in the order of Fe>Zn>Mn>Co>Ni>Pb>Cu>Cd at 25% FA. Accumulation of Fe, Mn, Ni, Cu and Co was found more in the roots while Zn, Pb and Cd were more in the aerial parts.     

Comparative role of animal manure and vegetable waste induced compost for polluted soil restoration and maize growth

Soil amendment with two types of composts: animal manure (AC) and vegetable waste (VC) induced composts have potential to alleviate Cd toxicity to maize in contaminated soil. Therefore, Cd mobility in waste water irrigated soil can be addressed through eco-friendly and cost effective organic soil amendments AC and VC that eventually reduces its translocation from polluted soil to maize plant tissues. The comparative effectiveness of AC and VC at 3% rate were evaluated on Cd solubility, its accumulation in maize tissues, translocation from root to shoot, chlorophyll contents, plant biomass, yield and soil properties (pH, NPK, OM). Results revealed that the addition of organic soil amendments significantly minimized Cd mobility and leachability in soil by 58.6% and 47%, respectively in VC-amended soil over control. While, the reduction was observed by 61.7% and 57%, respectively when AC was added at 3% over control. Comparing the control soil, Cd uptake effectively reduced via plants shoots and roots by 50%, 46% respectively when VC was added in polluted soil. However, Cd uptake was decreased in maize shoot and roots by 58% and 52.4% in AC amended soil at 3% rate, respectively. Additionally, NPK contents were significantly improved in polluted soil as well as in plant tissues in both composts amended soil Comparative to control, the addition of composts significantly improved the maize dry biomass and chlorophyll contents at 3% rate. Thus, present study confirmed that the addition of animal manure derived compost (AC) at 3% rate performed well and might be consider the suitable approach relative to vegetable compost for maize growth in polluted soil.     

山东省部分水岸带土壤重金属含量及污染评价

为了解山东省水岸带土壤重金属的含量特征和污染状况,于2010年9月—10月采集了39个水岸带土壤样品,分析了土壤中Cr、Co、Ni、Cu、Zn、Cd、Pb和Hg的含量以及土壤的pH值、粒度和有机质,采用单因子指数法、综合指数法和潜在生态危害指数法对水岸带土壤重金属污染进行了评价,并利用相关分析和聚类分析对其来源进行了初步的解析。结果表明：水岸带土壤的pH值为5.67—8.66,主要呈碱性;有机质的平均含量为9.39 g/kg,土壤粒度主要以砂粒和粉粒为主,其平均体积百分比分别为50.33%和38.48%,平均粒径为89.69 μm;Cr、Co、Ni、Cu、Zn、Cd、Pb和Hg的平均含量为53.03 mg/kg、10.33 mg/kg、24.96 mg/kg、18.38 mg/kg、56.13 mg/kg、0.142 mg/kg、22.48 mg/kg和0.020 mg/kg。各水岸带土壤重金属的含量均符合《土壤环境质量标准》（GB15618-1995）二级标准。以山东省土壤元素背景值为评价标准,水岸带土壤重金属总体表现为轻度污染和轻微生态风险,其中Cd和Hg是主要的污染因子,其对潜在生态危害指数的平均贡献率分别为46.8% 和33.6%。洙赵新河、廖河、门楼水库和东平湖水岸带土壤重金属污染及潜在生态危害明显高于其他水源地。源解析的结果表明：水岸带土壤重金属的含量受自然源和人为源的双重影响,人为源主要包括地表径流、工业废气、垃圾和交通运输等。     

Effects of soil amendments and EDTA on lead uptake by Chromolaena odorata: greenhouse and field trial experiments

Greenhouse and field trial experiments were performed to evaluate the use of Chromolaena odorata with various soil amendments for phytoextraction of Pb contaminated soil Pb mine soils contain low amount of nutrients, so the additions of organic (cow manure) and inorganic (Osmocote and NH4NO3 and KCl) fertilizers with EDTA were used to enhance plant growth and Pb accumulation. Greenhouse study showed that cow manure decreased available Pb concentrations and resulted in the highest Pb concentration in roots (4660 mg kg(-1)) and shoots (389.2 mg kg(-1)). EDTA increased Pb accumulation in shoots (17-fold) and roots (11-fold) in plants grown in soil with Osmocote with Pb uptake up to 203.5 mg plant(-1). Application of all fertilizers had no significant effects on relative growth rates of C. odorata. Field trial study showed that C. odorata grown in soil with 99545 mg kg(-1) total Pb accumulated up to 3730.2 and 6698.2 mg kg(-1) in shoots and roots, respectively, with the highest phytoextraction coefficient (1.25) and translocation factor (1.18). These results indicated that C. odorata could be used for phytoextraction of Pb contaminated soil. In addition, more effective Pb accumulation could be enhanced by Osmocote fertilizer. However, the use of EDTA in the field should be concerned with their leaching problems.     

Effects of organic amendments on Cd, Zn and Cu bioavailability in soil with repeated phytoremediation by Sedum plumbizincicola

Organic materials with different functional groups can be used to enhance metal bioavailability. Traditional organic materials (rice straw and clover) and ethylenediamine disuccinic acid (EDDS) were applied to enhance metal uptake from polluted soil by Sedum plumbizincicola after repeated phytoextraction. Changes in pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and metal concentrations were determined in the soil solution after EDDS application. Amendment of the soil with ground rice straw or ground clove resulted in higher concentrations of Cd only (by factors of 1.92 and 1.71 respectively) in S. plumbizincicola compared to control soil. Treatment with 3 mmol kg(-1) EDDS increased all the metals studied by factors of 60.4, 1.67, and 0.27 for Cu, Cd, and Zn, respectively. EDDS significantly increased soil solution DOC and pH and increased soil plant-available metals above the amounts that the plants could take up, resulting in high soil concentrations of soluble metals and high risk of ground water contamination. After repeated phytoremediation of metal contaminated soils the efficiency of metal removal declines as the concentrations of bioavailable metal fractions decline. Traditional organic materials can therefore be much more effective and environmentally friendly amendments than EDDS in enhancing phytoremediation efficiency of Cd contaminated soil     

Movement of water and heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb and Ni) through sand and sandy loam amended with biosolids under steady-state hydrological conditions

New guidelines for using biosolids in UK agriculture favour the use of enhanced treated biosolids, such as dried and composted cakes, due to concerns about the potential for transfer of pathogens into the food chain. However, there is a need to ensure that their use is environmentally acceptable and does not increase the risk to potable water supplies or the food chain from other contaminants such as heavy metals and xenobiotic organic chemicals. The objective of this study was to determine whether the use of composted and dried mesophilic anaerobically digested dewatered (MADD) biosolids would increase the risk of heavy metal leaching from cultivated horizons when compared to more conventionally used MADD cake. Three biosolids (MADD sewage sludge cake - fresh, dried and composted) were mixed with a sand (typic quartzipsamments, %OM = 3.0, pH = 6.5) or a sandy loam (typic hapludalf, %OM = 4.8, pH = 7.6) at an application rate equivalent to 250 kg N/ha/y resulting in loadings of approximately Zn: 6 microg, Cu: 2 microg, Pb: 5 microg and Ni: 0.2 microg/g of soil dry weight basis. These amended soils were repacked into columns (0.4 m by 0.1 m internal diameter) and leaching of Zn, Cu, Pb and Ni was investigated following application of two 24 h simulated rainfall events of 4.5 mm/h. Water balance data and the use of conservative tracers (Cl- and Br ) showed that the hydrological regimes of each core were comparable and, thus, unlikely to account for differences in metal leaching observed. Although no significant difference (P = 0.05) was observed between biosolid amended and control soils, those amended with composted sludge consistently gave higher loss of all metals than did the control soils. Total losses of metals from compost amended soil over the two rainfall events were in the ranges, Zn:20.5-58.2, Cu:9.0-30.5, Pb:24.2-51.2 and Ni:16.0-39.8 microg metal/kg amended soil, compared with Zn:16.4-41.1, Cu:6.2-25.3, Pb:16.9-41.7, and Ni:3.7-25.4 microg metal/kg soil from the control soils. Losses of Zn, Cu, Pb and Ni from fresh MADD cake amended soils (19.8-41.3, 3.2-25.8, 21.6-51.6 and 7.6-36.5 microg metal/kg amended soil, respectively) and from dry MADD cake amended soils (10.7-36.7, 1.8-23.8, 21.2-51.2 and 6.8-39.2 microg metal/kg amended soil, respectively) were similar to the controls. Generally, quantities of metals leached followed the order Zn = Pb > Cu > Ni, which was consistent with the levels of metals in the original sludge/soil mixtures. These results suggest that composting or drying MADD biosolids is unlikely to increase the risk of groundwater contamination when compared to the use of MADD cake; therefore, the changes in UK sludge use in agriculture guidelines are satisfactory in this respect.     

A field lysimeter study of heavy metal movement down the profile of soils with multiple metal pollution during chelate-enhanced phytoremediation

The agricultural soils near a copper smelter in southeast China were found to be highly contaminated with Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd. Metal migration from the soil to groundwater presents an environmental risk that depends on the physicochemical properties of the contaminated soils. Soil solution samples were obtained using lysimeters from a loam soil with multiple metal pollutions over a period of about 1 yr. A field lysimeter study was also conducted to examine the potential use of (S, S')-ethylenediamine-N, N'-disuccinic acid trisodium salt (EDDSNa3) in chelate-enhanced phytoremedation and to evaluate the leaching of heavy metals. The average heavy metal concentrations in the soil solution (without the addition of EDDS) were high (e.g., 0.15 mg Pb L(-1) at a 50-cm depth) compared to the upper limit for protection of groundwater in China, but varied during the sampling period. Cu concentrations were not correlated with pH or dissolved organic carbon (DOC), but Zn and Cd concentrations were related to soil solution pH. EDDS enhanced metal solubility in the soil, but plant metal uptake by Elsholtzia splendens Nakai did not increase accordingly. There may be an increasing risk of groundwater pollution by Cu and the EDDS enhanced phytoremediation technique needs to be carefully applied to minimize this side effect.     

Suitable Chemical Properties of Animal Manure Compost to Facilitate Pb Immobilization in Soil

Chemical immobilization using animal manure compost is one of the most useful for low-cost, in-situ soil remediation techniques. The present study aimed to determine suitable chemical properties of animal manure compost to facilitate lead (Pb) immobilization in soil. The level of mobile Pb in soil amended with swine compost was higher than that amended with cattle compost during the early stage of incubation. However, the level of mobile Pb was almost the same in soil amended with both types of compost on day 184 of incubation. The ratio of the residual fraction after sequential extraction was enhanced in soil amended with both types of compost, particularly swine compost. X-ray diffractometer (XRD) results demonstrated the precipitation of Pb phosphate minerals, such as pyromorphite, in Pb-sorbed composts, particularly swine compost. Amendment using swine compost could reduce Pb solubility even when it had a high content of water-soluble organic matter because it significantly lowered Pb phase solubility. The amendment with swine compost improved plant growth and microbial activity. This study suggests that composts with high phosphorus (P) content are suitable for Pb immobilization amendment even if they have a high water-soluble organic matter content.     

Accumulation of zinc, cadmium, and lead in four populations of Sedum alfredii growing on lead/zinc mine spoils

Sedum alfredii Hance is a newly reported zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulator native to China. In this study,four populations of S. alfredii were collected from Yejiwei (YJW), Jinchuantang (JCT) and Qiaokou (QK) lead (Pb)/Zn mines located in Hunan Province as well as Quzhou (QZ) Pb/Zn mine located in Zhejiang Province for exploring the intraspecies difference of this plant in metal accumulation. Although they grew in the Pb/Zn spoils with relatively similar levels of Zn,Cd and Pb, remarkable differences among the four populations in tissue heavy metal concentrations were observed. The shoot Zn concentration of QZ population (11 116 mg/kg) was highest and nearly five times higher than that of the JCT population (1930 mg/kg). Furthermore, the shoot Cd concentration observed in the QZ population (1 090 mg/kg) was also highest and 144 times higher than that found in the JCT population (7.5 mg/kg). As for Pb concentrations In the shoot of different populations, a fourfold difference between the highest and the lowest was also found. Such difference on metal accumulation was opulation-specific and may be significantly explained by differences in the soil properties such as pH, organic matter (OM), and electrical conductivity (EC). Taking biomass and metal concentration in plants into consideration, the QZ, YJW and QK populations may have high potential for Zn phytoremediation, the QZ population may have the highest potential in Cd phytoremediation, and the QK population may be the most useful in Pb phytoremediation.     

Leaching Behavior of Heavy Metals and Transformation of Their Speciation in Polluted Soil Receiving Simulated Acid Rain

Heavy metals that leach from contaminated soils under acid rain are of increasing concern. In this study, simulated acid rain (SAR) was pumped through columns of artificially contaminated purple soil. Column leaching tests and sequential extraction were conducted for the heavy metals Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn to determine the extent of their leaching as well as to examine the transformation of their speciation in the artificially contaminated soil columns. Results showed that the maximum leachate concentrations of Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn were less than those specified in the Chinese Quality Standards for Groundwater (Grade IV), thereby suggesting that the heavy metals that leached from the polluted purple soil receiving acid rain may not pose as risks to water quality. Most of the Pb and Cd leachate concentrations were below their detection limits. By contrast, higher Cu and Zn leachate concentrations were found because they were released by the soil in larger amounts as compared with those of Pb and Cd. The differences in the Cu and Zn leachate concentrations between the controls (SAR at pH 5.6) and the treatments (SAR at pH 3.0 and 4.5) were significant. Similar trends were observed in the total leached amounts of Cu and Zn. The proportions of Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn in the EXC and OX fractions were generally increased after the leaching experiment at three pH levels, whereas those of the RES, OM, and CAR fractions were slightly decreased. Acid rain favors the leaching of heavy metals from the contaminated purple soil and makes the heavy metal fractions become more labile. Moreover, a pH decrease from 5.6 to 3.0 significantly enhanced such effects.     

Effects of community-accessible biochar and compost on diesel-contaminated soil

Petroleum pollution is a global problem that requires effective and accessible remediation strategies that takes ecosystem functioning into serious consideration. Bioremediation can be an effective tool to address the challenge. In this study, we used a mesocosm experiment to evaluate the effects of locally sourced and community produced biochar and compost amendments on diesel-contaminated soil. At the end of the 90-day experiment, we quantified the effects of the amendments on total petroleum hydrocarbons (C9-C40) (TPH) and soil pH, organic matter, aggregate stability, soil respiration, extractable phosphorus, extractable potassium, and micronutrients (Mg, Fe, Mn, and Zn). We observed significantly higher TPH degradation in compost-amended soils than in controls and soils amended with biochar. We propose that the addition of compost improved TPH biodegradation by augmenting soil nutrient content and microbial activity. Our results suggest that community-accessible compost can improve TPH biodegradation, and that implementation is possible at the community level.