Anaerobic Degradation of the Invasive Weed Solidago canadensis L. (goldenrod) and Copper Immobilization by a Community of Sulfate-Reducing and Methane-Producing Bacteria

Abstract

The weed Solidago canadensis L. poses a global threat to the environment as it spreads uncontrollably on roadsides, in forests, fields, meadows, and farmland. Goldenrod emits toxic substances that suppress other plants on the site, displacing wild ones. Thus, goldenrod conquers huge areas very quickly. The use of herbicides and mechanical methods does not solve the problem of the spontaneous spread of goldenrod. On the other hand, many scientists consider goldenrod as a valuable source of biologically active substances: flavonoids, phenolic compounds, vitamins, etc. In this study, we consider Solidago plants as a promising, free (cheap), and renewable substrate for the production of methane gas. The goal of the study was to identify the main patterns of degradation of the Solidago canadensis L. plant by methane-producing and sulfate-reducing bacteria with methane gas production and simultaneous detoxification of toxic copper. The composition of the gas phase was monitored by gas chromatography. The pH and redox potential parameters were determined potentiometrically; metal concentrations were measured by photometry. The concentration of flavonoids, sugars and phenolic compounds in plant biomass was determined according to well-known protocols. As a result of the study, high efficiencies of methane degradation in the Solidago plant and copper detoxification were obtained. Methane yield has reached the value of 68.2 L kg−1 TS of Solidago canadensis L. biomass. The degradation coefficient (Kd) was also high at 21.4. The Cu(II) was effectively immobilized by methanogens and sulfate reducers during the goldenrod degradation at the initial concentrations of 500 mg L−1. Thus, a new method of beneficial application of invasive plants was presented. The result confirms the possibility of using methanogenic microorganisms to produce methane gas from invasive weeds and detoxification of toxic metals.

A Green Approach Used for Heavy Metals ‘Phytoremediation’ Via Invasive Plant Species to Mitigate Environmental Pollution: A Review

“…Elsheikh et al [ 177 ] reported that IPS potentially alter the composition and diversity of the aboveground plant community structure. Havryliuk et al [ 178 ] reported that the invasive plant ( S. canadensis ) immobilized the Cu concentration with methane–sulfate-reducing bacteria with the help of phytodegradation. Usually, the viability of invasive exotic plants is influenced by soil microbial populations [ 179 ].…”

Effect of Intertidal Vegetation (Suaeda salsa) Restoration on Microbial Diversity in the Offshore Areas of the Yellow River Delta

“…However, it may still be insufficient compared to salt tolerance, broad substrates, and cold tolerance. Meanwhile, methanogens, as common archaea in the intertidal sediments of coastal wetlands with an extremely low relative abundance in this investigation, are extremely common in intertidal environments as the last link of carbon cycle degradation in anaerobic degradation environments [ 37 , 38 ]. This suggests that surface sediments may have been subjected to less direct inundation by seawater and rainfall, lacking an anaerobic environment.…”

An Approach For Control Of Phytopathogenic Caenorhabditis elegans N2 Via Regulation of Growth Conditions And Pleurotus ostreatus Po4

“…They are considered to be more environmentally friendly comparing to physical and chemical ones 5 . Bio-based methods are used for fuel obtaining [19][20][21][22] , treatment of soil and water from hazardous xenobiotics [23][24][25][26][27] , pathogens control 1,28-30 , etc.…”