Remediation of lead and cadmium-contaminated soils

The research was designated to study the ability of plants to bio-accumulate, translocate and remove the heavy metals, lead and cadmium from contaminated soil. The herbal plant ryegrass, Lolium multiflorum was investigated as a bio-accumulator plant for these metals. The translocation of these heavy metals in the herbal plant was compared considering root to shoot transport and redistribution of metals in the root and shoot system. The trace metal contents from root and shoot parts were determined using atomic absorption spectrometer. The results showed that the percent of lead and cadmium transferred to ryegrass plant were averaged as 51.39, and 74.57%, respectively, while those remained in the soil were averaged as 48.61 and 25.43% following 60 days of treatment. The soil-plant transfer index in root and shoot system of ryegrass was found to be 0.32 and 0.20 for lead, and 0.50 and 0.25 for cadmium. These findings indicated that the herbal plant ryegrass, Lolium multiflorum is a good accumulator for cadmium than lead. The soil-plant transfer factor (the conc. of heavy metal in plant to the conc. in soil) indicated that the mechanism of soil remedy using the investigated plant is phytoextraction where the amounts of heavy metals transferred by plant roots into the above ground portions were higher than that remained in the soil. The method offers green technology solution for the contamination problem since it is effective technology with minimal impact on the environment and can be easily used for soil remedy.     

Adaptive Long-Term Monitoring of Soil Health in Metal Phytostabilization: Ecological Attributes and Ecosystem Services Based on Soil Microbial Parametersxs

Phytostabilization is a promising option for the remediation of metal contaminated soils which requires the implementation of long-term monitoring programs. We here propose to incorporate the paradigm of “adaptive monitoring”, which enables monitoring programs to evolve iteratively as new information emerges and research questions change, to metal phytostabilization. Posing good questions that cover the chemical, toxicological and ecological concerns associated to metal contaminated soils is critical for an efficient long-term phytostabilization monitoring program. Regarding the ecological concerns, soil microbial parameters are most valuable indicators of the effectiveness of metal phytostabilization processes in terms of recovery of soil health. We suggest to group soil microbial parameters in higher-level categories such as “ecological attributes” (vigor, organization, stability) or “ecosystem services” in order to facilitate interpretation and, most importantly, to provide long-term phytostabilization monitoring programs with the required stability through time against changes in techniques, methods, interests, etc. that will inevitably occur during the monitoring program. Finally, a Phytostabilization Monitoring Card, based on both ecological attributes and ecosystem services, for soil microbial properties is provided.     

Proximal Spectral Sensing to Monitor Phytoremediation of Metal-Contaminated Soils

Assessment of soil contamination and its long-term monitoring are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of phytoremediation systems. Spectral sensing-based monitoring methods promise obvious benefits compared to field-based methods: lower cost, faster data acquisition and better spatio-temporal monitoring. This paper reviews the theoretical basis whereby proximal spectral sensing of soil and vegetation could be used to monitor phytoremediation of metal-contaminated soils, and the eventual upscaling to imaging sensing. Both laboratory and field spectroscopy have been applied to sense heavy metals in soils indirectly via their intercorrelations with soil constituents, and also through metal-induced vegetation stress. In soil, most predictions are based on intercorrelations of metals with spectrally-active soil constituents viz., Fe-oxides, organic carbon, and clays. Spectral variations in metal-stressed plants is particularly associated with changes in chlorophyll, other pigments, and cell structure, all of which can be investigated by vegetation indices and red edge position shifts. Key shortcomings in obtaining satisfactory calibration for monitoring the metals in soils or metal-related plant stress include: reduced prediction accuracy compared to chemical methods, complexity of spectra, no unique spectral features associated with metal-related plant stresses, and transfer of calibrations from laboratory to field to regional scale. Nonetheless, spectral sensing promises to be a time saving, non-destructive and cost-effective option for long-term monitoring especially over large phytoremediation areas, and it is well-suited to phytoremediation networks where monitoring is an integral part.     

土壤-作物-动物生态体系中微量元素含量

随着工农业生产的日益发展 ,人类正面临着重新调整生态平衡的问题 ,其中食物链中的微量元素在生态系统中的迁移、转化和循环规律及其与生物相互作用机制就显得十分重要。大量研究表明 ,微量元素可与生物体相互作用 ,通过结构和调节机制而产生营养性、毒性和刺激性 ,从而对机体的生长发育、繁殖、农 (畜 )产品的数量和质量以及人类营养和健康产生很大的影响[1]。目前 ,许多国家就微量元素与食物链的关系开展了大量的研究工作 ,并取得了重大进展 ,一门新兴的边缘科学微量元素与食物链学正在蓬勃地发展[2 ]。我国也相继开展了土壤、植物或动物…     

Metal(loid)-Contaminated Soils as a Source of Culturable Heterotrophic Aerobic Bacteria for Remediation Applications

Heavy metal–contaminated soils are a serious environmental problem. Herein, the culturable heterotrophic bacterial community present on two metal(loid)-contaminated sites in the Northern Portugal was investigated. The bacterial counts ranged from 5.96 to 7.69 and 7.04 to 7.51 (log CFU g^?1 soil) in Sites 1 and 3, respectively. The bacterial population was predominantly composed of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria on both sites. The most represented genera in Site 1 were Bacillus (41%) and Pseudomonas (27%), whereas Arthrobacter (21%) and Pseudomonas (13%) were the most represented genera in Site 3. Several bacterial isolates showed tolerance to high concentrations of metal(loid)s, suggesting that both contaminated sites are a valuable source of metal(loid)-tolerant bacteria, which may be further used in bioremediation and/or phytoremediation processes.     

The Use of Conocarpus lancifolius Trees for the Remediation of Oil-Contaminated Soils

The role of the Conocarpus lancifolius tree in remediaitng oil-contaminated soil, which was bioremediated using conventional methods, was investigated. The selected tree was used to phytoremediate bioremediated oil-contaminated soil for three successive growing seasons. At the end of the phytoremediation experiment, 85.7% of measurable total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) was degraded in Conocarpus lancifolius rhizosphere, and the detectable concentrations of some poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were less than 0.02 ppm. A number of hydrocarbon degrading microorganisms (HDMs) were isolated at 35°C under aerobic conditions, and were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis. The efficiency of the isolated HDMs in degrading a mixture of hydrocarbon compounds (HC) was assessed. Among the bacterial isolates, Rhodococcus equi was distinguished from the other isolates because of its efficient degradation of some compounds in the HC mixture.

Samples were also collected from Conocarpus lancifolius vegetative parts and were analyzed for heavy metal and mineral accumulation. The results demonstrated that the Conocarpus lancifolius tree was able to uptake high levels of chromium (Cr), vanadium (V), and nickel (Ni) and accumulate them in the tree's roots. Additionally, Conocarpus trees tolerated high concentration and accumulated several metals in all plant tissues. These metals included aluminum (Al), calcium (Ca) and iron (Fe).     

European Experience on Application of Site-Specific Ecological Risk Assessment in Terrestrial Ecosystems

This article describes the current state of the development toward a common European framework for site-specific ecological risk assessment (SS-ERA) Although common progression has been slow in the past two years, earlier activities were very promising. Results are presented of a 2001 workshop to discuss the scientific development and policy needs in preparation of such a common framework. The framework was recommended to follow a tiered approach. Other important elements for a common European framework for SS-ERA were identified to be the use of generic values in the first tier and bioassays in later tiers, to address bioavailability in the assessment, to differentiate for land use. Also, the framework should allow for negotiation between stakeholders specific to the site. These aspects are present in the Dutch approach to SS-ERA, and this article further presents some experience with the application of this framework in a large case of SS-ERA in The Netherlands. The derivation of suitable ecological parameters and assessment criteria in view of land use in a tiered approach risk assessment is focused on, and the interactive process between stakeholders and ongoing discussions concerning references and criteria for assessment are illustrated.     

Enhanced Phytoremediation of Crude Oil-Polluted Soil by Four Plant Species: Effect of Inorganic and Organic Bioaugumentation

A field experiment investigating the removal and/or uptake of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and specific metals (As, Cd, Cr) from a crude oil polluted agricultural soil was performed during the 2013 wet season using four plant species: Fimbristylis littoralis, Hevea brasilensis (Rubber plants), Cymbopogom citratus (Lemon grass), and Vigna subterranea (Bambara nuts). Soil functional diversity and soil-enzyme interactions were also investigated. The diagnostic ratios and the correlation analysis identified mixed petrogenic and pyrogenic sources as the main contributors of PAHs at the study site. A total of 16 PAHs were identified, 6 of which were carcinogenic. Up to 42.4 mg kg^?1 total PAHs was recorded prior to the experiments. At 90 d, up to 92% total PAH reduction and 96% As removal were achieved using F. littoralis, the best performing species. The organic soil amendment (poultry dung) rendered most of the studied contaminants unavailable for uptake. However, the organic amendment accounted for over 70% of the increased dehydrogenase, phosphatase, and proteolytic enzymes activities in the study. Overall, the combined use of soil amendments and phytoremediation significantly improved the microbial community activity, thus promoting the restoration of the ecosystem.     

Development of P-Hyperaccumulator Plant Strategies to Remediate Soils with Excess P Concentrations

Dr. David Tsao, Hydrocarbon and Environmental Management Group, Global Envionmental Management Business Unit, BP Amoco Corporation, 150 W. Warrenville Rd., Mail Code H-7, Naperville, IL 60563 The U.S. livestock industry has evolved to confine a large number of animals on a few farms in concentrated areas in many states. The trend to fewer, larger operations coupled with highly intensive production methods has resulted in more concentration of manure nutrients within relatively small geographic areas. Researchers in these areas have reported that manure production is contributing more phosphorus (P) than available cropland can assimilate. Overapplication of manure nutrients combined with low P removal rates by many crops is frequently cited as a reason for the accumulation of excess soil P. We propose that higher amounts of soil P can be removed from soil using vegetative management. Soil P concentration can be reduced in fields with excess levels by using P-hyperaccumulator plants or growing plants that have been modified to increase their P-uptake characteristics through traditional breeding and transgenic techniques. In this context, we identify plant properties (root architecture, secretion of organic acids, etc.) that may be improved using these two techniques.     

Potential of Mauritius Hemp (Furcraea gigantea Vent.) for the Remediation of Chromium Contaminated Soils

The present study was conducted to evaluate the ability of a high biomass producing, drought tolerant succulent plant Mauritius hemp (Furcraea gigantea Vent.) for its tolerance to different levels of Cr (0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg Cr kg soil^?1) and its potential for phytoremediation purposes. Based on the data on inhibition of the growth of plants with Cr, tolerance index and grade of growth inhibition, it was observed that the plant could tolerate up to 50 mg Cr kg ^?1 soil. Absorption of Cr from soil to plant and its translocation into plant tissues were discussed in terms of bio concentration factor (BCF), transfer factor (TF), and translocation efficiency (TE%). Cr was mainly accumulated in the roots and exclusion of Cr was found to be the principal physiological tolerance mechanism followed by a marked increase in proline, ascorbic acid, total free amino acids in the leaf tissue and malic acid in the rhizosphere samples to counter Cr stress. Based on the tissue concentration of Cr (< 300 μg g^?1 in the leaves and TF<1), it was concluded that, Furcraea gigantea could not be considered a hyperaccumulator and therefore unsuitable for phytoextraction of Cr. Nevertheless, Furcraea gigantea could be a suitable candidate for phytostablization of Cr contaminated soils.     

污染土壤微生物群落结构分子鉴定技术研究进展

土壤微生物群落结构多样性检测是土壤修复、监测、评估时的一个重要参数。由于绝大多数微生物在实验室条件下是不可培养,因而早期依赖于微生物培养的检测结果代表性不强。20世纪90年代以来,不依赖于微生物培养的分子生物学方法是研究微生物群落结构的重要手段。该文对近年来土壤污染微生物群落结构研究所采用的主要分子生物学方法按照其原理进行了比较、分析、总结。根据不同技术的灵敏度、优缺点分析了其适用范围。指出了目前技术中存在的一些共性问题和缺陷并展望了土壤修复领域分子生物学技术的发展趋势。     

基于信息熵量化评价大熊猫国家公园生态系统管理成效

生态系统管理绩效的量化评价是保护区域生态安全、合理利用自然资源、实现可持续发展的重要前提。选取大熊猫国家公园四川片区作为研究对象,从生态系统服务潜力、人为活动强度、旗舰种保护和生态管理实际情况出发,构建生态系统管理评估指标体系。指标体系包含16个因子。对指标体系构建的数据集,基于熵理论定量评价系统无序程度、发展方向。结果表明:(1)大熊猫国家公园生态系统总熵流值为-0.8309,系统整体健康;其中5个市县总熵流为正,生态系统无序性较大,为非健康状态。(2)生态系统管理的正熵流主要受第一产业影响;负熵流的产生主要来自旗舰种保护和区域保护绩效。在空间尺度上,不同区域间总熵流存在差异,宝兴县总熵流最高,达到0.0880;九寨沟县最低,为-0.1826。综合农村居民收入与总熵流评价结果,研究认为试点期内大熊猫国家公园管理可以考虑选取示范点,总结管理经验;在生态管理热点区域优先推广,如平武县、宝兴县和茂县。在管理过程中谨慎对待社区发展与生态保护的关系。     

Sustainable limits to crop residue harvest for bioenergy: maintaining soil carbon in Australia's agricultural lands

The use of crop residues for bioenergy production needs to be carefully assessed because of the potential negative impact on the level of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. The impact varies with environmental conditions and crop management practices and needs to be considered when harvesting the residue for bioenergy productions. Here, we defined the sustainable harvest limits as the maximum rates that do not diminish SOC and quantified sustainable harvest limits for wheat residue across Australia's agricultural lands. We divided the study area into 9432 climate‐soil (CS) units and simulated the dynamics of SOC in a continuous wheat cropping system over 122 years (1889 – 2010) using the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM). We simulated management practices including six fertilization rates (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, and 200 kg N ha^?1) and five residue harvest rates (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%). We mapped the sustainable limits for each fertilization rate and assessed the effects of fertilization and three key environmental variables – initial SOC, temperature, and precipitation – on sustainable residue harvest rates. We found that, with up to 75 kg N ha^?1 fertilization, up to 75% and 50% of crop residue could be sustainably harvested in south‐western and south‐eastern Australia, respectively. Higher fertilization rates achieved little further increase in sustainable residue harvest rates. Sustainable residue harvest rates were principally determined by climate and soil conditions, especially the initial SOC content and temperature. We conclude that environmental conditions and management practices should be considered to guide the harvest of crop residue for bioenergy production and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions during the life cycle of bioenergy production.     

Intensive measurement of nitrous oxide emissions from a corn–soybean–wheat rotation under two contrasting management systems over 5 years

No‐tillage (NT), a practice that has been shown to increase carbon sequestration in soils, has resulted in contradictory effects on nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. Moreover, it is not clear how mitigation practices for N₂O emission reduction, such as applying nitrogen (N) fertilizer according to soil N reserves and matching the time of application to crop uptake, interact with NT practices. N₂O fluxes from two management systems [conventional (CP), and best management practices: NT + reduced fertilizer (BMP)] applied to a corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max L.), winter‐wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rotation in Ontario, Canada, were measured from January 2000 to April 2005, using a micrometeorological method. The superimposition of interannual variability of weather and management resulted in mean monthly N₂O fluxes ranging from − 1.9 to 61.3 g N ha⁻¹ day⁻¹. Mean annual N₂O emissions over the 5‐year period decreased significantly by 0.79 from 2.19 kg N ha⁻¹ for CP to 1.41 kg N ha⁻¹ for BMP. Growing season (May–October) N₂O emissions were reduced on average by 0.16 kg N ha⁻¹ (20% of total reduction), and this decrease only occurred in the corn year of the rotation. Nongrowing season (November–April) emissions, comprised between 30% and 90% of the annual emissions, mostly due to increased N₂O fluxes during soil thawing. These emissions were well correlated (r²= 0.90) to the accumulated degree‐hours below 0 °C at 5 cm depth, a measure of duration and intensity of soil freezing. Soil management in BMP (NT) significantly reduced N₂O emissions during thaw (80% of total reduction) by reducing soil freezing due to the insulating effects of the larger snow cover plus corn and wheat residue during winter. In conclusion, significant reductions in net greenhouse gas emissions can be obtained when NT is combined with a strategy that matches N application rate and timing to crop needs.     

陕北农民对退耕还林的意愿评价

为了解生态修复政策对陕北地区社会经济的影响,2007年通过参与性农户调查方法,研究退耕还林项目对陕北居民生计的影响以及由于生态项目实施引起的农民态度的变化.结果表明：农民接受退耕还林补偿政策,但只有极少数人乐意植树(8.9%)、种草(2.2%). 尽管19.1%的农户表示他们的生计受到了项目的负面影响,63.8%的农户表示支持退耕还林项目,但是高达37.2%的农户表示项目结束后会再次垦荒种粮.由此可见,退耕还林项目恢复的植被在项目结束后有可能被重新开垦为农田,该项目获得的环境成果面临被再次破坏的风险.因此,给予合理的补偿来减少农民经济损失、通过技术进步提高单位土地面积产出、通过技术培训使农村剩余劳动力转移出来是环境修复项目成功的重要保证.     

Experimental Assessment of Using Soluble Humic Substances for Remediation of Heavy Metal Polluted Soils

Since heavy metals are nondegradable and strongly bonded in soils, remediation of heavy metal polluted soils by extraction is difficult and current extraction techniques require harsh chemicals such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). However, use of EDTA is environmentally problematic because of costs, persistence, toxicity and deterioration of soil structure. Therefore, the potential of soluble natural humic substances (HS) to extract heavy metals from contaminated soils is tested as an environmentally friendly substitute for EDTA. A strongly polluted, calcareous urban soil (CRC soil) and a moderately polluted agricultural soil (CUP soil) were extracted at neutral pH in batch mode by three HS solutions from beech and Norway spruce litter (Beech-HS and Spruce-HS) and processed cow slurry (Bio-HS), all containing 25 mM dissolved organic carbon (DOC). After 10 extractions with a solution to soil ratio of 5:1 (L/kg), 8% to 39% of the total Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb soil contents, lowest for Ni and highest for Cu/Pb, were extracted. Natural and processed HS samples had comparable capacities to extract the heavy metals. A comparison of 100 mM DOC of Bio-HS and EDTA as extractants for Cu from the CRC soil showed extraction of 67% by EDTA and 41% by Bio-HS, indicating somewhat higher efficiency of EDTA than of HS. Sequential extraction of the CRC soil after Bio-HS and EDTA extraction showed removal of exchangeable, carbonate- and metal oxide-bound Cu but also of some residual Cu. It is therefore concluded that HS appears to be an attractive and promising alternative to EDTA as remediation agent for heavy metal polluted soils provided cheap HS of good quality is easily available.     

基于CENTURY模型研究干旱区人工绿洲开发与管理模式变化对土壤碳动态的影响

近半个世纪前,中国西北干旱区人类大规模的水土开发活动使得流域下部的荒漠覆被土地转变成了人工绿洲,强烈的人类耕作活动使得人工绿洲土壤有机碳库发生了显著变化。以干旱区典型的三工河流域下部的人工绿洲为例,基于CENTURY模型,研究人工绿洲开发前后及农业管理模式变化对表层土壤有机碳库(0-20cm)的影响。CENTURY模型模拟结果表明:(1)研究区荒漠灌木林地开垦为人工绿洲后,在最初的2a土壤总有机碳(TOC)快速增加,随后呈逐渐下降的趋势;(2)研究区人工绿洲在被开发后50a的连续耕作下,平均土壤TOC呈先增后减再增的"N"型变化趋势,但最终土壤TOC超过了原始自然状态下的TOC,而且2008年土壤TOC比原始荒漠状态增加7.74%,说明研究区表层土壤有机碳总体呈"碳汇"趋势。尤其在研究区实施了免耕、秸秆粉碎还田、科学测土配方施肥等保护性耕作措施后,土壤固碳效应明显,这完全不同于热带森林、中国北部温带半干旱草原及非洲Savanna半干旱稀树草原开垦为耕地后土壤有机碳大量损失的结论。     

天山北坡绿洲土壤养分对作物系统变化的响应

以天山北坡三工河流域下游绿洲作为研究区,通过对当地农作物轮作制度的调查和历史资料的分析,遴选6种主要作物组合系统,包括耐盐碱作物系统、粮食作物系统、瓜菜、经济作物-棉花、经济作物-葡萄、经济作物-啤酒花,并利用1982、1999和2003年土壤养分数据,分析干旱区绿洲土壤养分对农作物系统变化的响应.结果表明,研究区不同时期的土地政策和市场价格变化直接影响了作物系统由1年生作物向多年生作物的转变,而土壤有机质经历了先下降后上升的变化过程.1982—1999年其它作物系统向棉花的转变不利于土壤有机质的积累,而1999—2003粮食作物、棉花等向多年生作物的转变使得土壤有机质含量明显增加.三工河流域绿洲土壤总体表现为“碳汇”的过程,说明干旱区绿洲人工植被的变化有利于土壤碳的积累,土地利用呈现可持续发展的态势.     

Application of Biosurfactants Produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa SP4 for Bioremediation of Soils Contaminated by Pyrene

Biosurfactants are considered to facilitate PAHs dissolution in soil slurries for bioremediation applications. In this work, the carbon and nitrogen sources, pH, C/N ratio, and salinity, were considered for optimization of biosurfactant production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa SP4 isolate to enhance pyrene removal from the contaminated soil. Analysis of ANOVA indicated that the carbon source was the most effective factor, followed by pH, nitrogen source, C/N ratio, and salinity. Taguchi experimental design proposed the optimum operating conditions of olive oil, NH₄NO₃, C/N ratio of 5, salinity of 0.5%, and pH 7. Applying the conditions determined by Taguchi design led to a production yield of 452 mg L^?1 (13% improvement) at the optimum conditions. The main characteristics of produced biosurfactant included the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 60 mg L^?1 and liquid medium surface tension of 29.5 mN m^?1. Produced biosurfactant was used for bioremediation of soil artificially contaminated with 500 mg kg^?1 of pyrene. Following the addition of 250 mg L^?1 biosurfactant, the pyrene removal of 84.6% was obtained compared to 59.8% for control sample without any surfactant.     

Impact of Land-Use Patterns on Chemical Properties of Trace Elements in Soils of Rural,Semi-Urban,and Urban Zones of the Niger Delta,Nigeria

The study of the concentrations of Cr, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni, and Cu in soils under different land uses in rural, semi-urban, and urban zones in the Niger Delta was carried out with a view to providing information on the effects of the different land uses on the concentrations of trace elements in soils. Our results indicate significant variability in concentrations of these metals in soils under different land uses in rural, semi-urban, and urban zones. The maximum concentrations of metals in the examined soil samples were 707.5 mg.kg^?1, 161.0 mg.kg^?1, 2.6 mg.kg^?1, 59.6 mg.kg^?1, 1061.3 mg.kg^?1, and 189.2 mg.kg^?1 for Cr, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni, and Cu, respectively. In the rural zone, the cassava processing mill is a potent source of Ni, Cr, Cu, and Zn while agricultural activities are a source of Cd, and automobile emissions and the use of lead oxide batteries constitute the major sources of Pb. In the urban zone, soils around the wood processing mill showed elevated concentrations of Cu, Cr, Zn, and Ni, while soils around automobile mechanic works and motor parks showed elevated levels of Pb. Elevated Cd concentrations were observed in soils under the following land uses: urban motor park, playground, welding and fabrication sheds, and metallic scrap dump. The contamination/pollution index of metals in the soil follows the order: Ni > Cd > Cr > Zn > Cu > Pb. The multiple pollution index of metals at different sites were greater than 1, indicating that these soils fit into “slight pollution” to “excessive pollution” ranges with significant contributions from Cr, Zn, Cd, Ni, and Cu.