Phytoextraction of Cadmium and Zinc By Sedum plumbizincicola Using Different Nitrogen Fertilizers,a Nitrification Inhibitor and a Urease Inhibitor

Cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) phytoavailability and their phytoextraction by Sedum plumbizincicola using different nitrogen fertilizers, nitrification inhibitor (dicyandiamide, DCD) and urease inhibitor (N-(n-Butyl) thiophosphoric triamide, NBPT) were investigated in pot experiments where the soil was contaminated with 0.99 mg kg^?1 of Cd and 241 mg kg^?1 Zn. The soil solution pH varied between 7.30 and 8.25 during plant growth which was little affected by the type of N fertilizer. The (NH₄)₂SO₄+DCD treatment produced higher NH₄⁺?N concentrations in soil solution than the (NH₄)₂SO₄ and NaNO₃ treatment which indicated that DCD addition inhibited the nitrification process. Shoot Cd and Zn concentrations across all treatments showed ranges of 52.9–88.3 and 2691–4276 mg kg^?1, respectively. The (NH₄)₂SO₄+DCD treatment produced slightly higher but not significant Cd and Zn concentrations in the xylem sap than the NaNO₃ treatment. Plant shoots grown with NaNO₃ had higher Cd concentrations than (NH₄)₂SO₄+DCD treatment at 24.0 and 15.4 mg kg^?1, respectively. N fertilizer application had no significant effect on shoot dry biomass. Total Cd uptake in the urea+DCD treatment was higher than in the control, urea+NBPT, urea+NBPT+DCD, or urea treatments, by about 17.5, 23.3, 10.7, and 25.1%, respectively.