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The feasibility of using Robinia pseudoacacia in phytoremediation of sterile dumps was determined. The potential of Robinia pseudoacacia seeds to grow in a medium contaminated with high concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Cu was firstly evaluated by applying germination tests on acacia seeds in the presence of various extractants prepared by mixtures of sterile material (SM) collected from the “Radeș” dump (Romania), calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and dehydrated sludge (DS) from Someș Water Treatment Plant (Cluj Napoca, Romania), fertilizer (N.P.K.), and potassium monobasic phosphate (KH2PO4-99.5%). The results indicated that Robinia pseudoacacia seeds grow much better in an acidic than in a neutral medium and in the absence of carbonates. The capacity of metal uptake from SM by Robinia pseudoacacia and the development of the plants were then investigated at the laboratory scale. During the phytoremediation process, 92.31% of Cu was removed from SM, and the development of the Robinia pseudoacacia plants was favorable. However, although the results of the present study indicated that Robinia pseudoacacia can be successfully used in the phytoremediation of sterile dumps, making a sustainable decision for the current situation of sterile dumps located in mining areas may be difficult because an optimal point between people, profit, planet, and diverse ethical views must be found.

The present study consisted in the determination of lead concentrations in soil samples and sterile material dumped collected from the Almașu Mare mining area. The lead concentration in the samples collected were determined by atomic adsorption spectrometry (AAS). In spite of the fact that all mines from area are nowadays inactive, the results of the chemical analysis showed that the soils in the area are still highly polluted with lead, except at the base of the "Radeș" dump, where the lead concentrations were below the intervention thresholds.

Editorial Secretary: Nicoleta BRIŞAN Technical Secretaries: Ildiko MARTONOŞ Carmen ROBA Cover 1: Taxodium distichium with Tillandsia usneoides (moss).