Cobalt, chromium and nickel contents in soils and plants from a serpentinite quarry

Abstract

Abstract. The former serpentinite quarry of Penas Albas (Moeche, Galicia, NW Spain) left behind a large amount of waste material scattered over the surrounding area, as well as tailing areas. In this area several soils were studied together with the vegetation growing spontaneously over them with the aim of identifying the bioavailability of heavy metals. The potential of spontaneous vegetation for phytoremediation and/or phytostabilization was evaluated. The pH of the soils ranges from neutral to basic, with very low organic matter and nitrogen contents. There are imbalances between exchangeable cations like potassium (K) and calcium (Ca), mainly due to high magnesium (Mg) content that can strongly limit plant production. Moreover, in all of the studied soils there are high levels of cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) ( >70, >1300 and >1300 mg kg −1 , respectively). They exceed the intervention limits indicated by soil guideline values. Different soil extractions were performed in order to evaluate bioavailability. CaCl 2 0.01 M is the most effective extraction reagent, although the reagent that best predicts plant availability is a mixture of low molecular weight organic acids. Festuca rubra, L. is the spontaneous plant growing in the soils that accumulates the highest amount of the metals, both in shoot and roots. Festuca also has the highest translocation factor values, although they are only > 1 for Cr. The bioconcentration factor is > 1 in all of the cases, except in the shoot of Juncus sp. for Co and Ni. The results indicate that Festuca is a phytostabilizer of Co and Ni and an accumulator of Cr, while Juncus sp. is suitable for phytostabilization.

Rock-type control of Ni, Cr, and Co phytoavailability in ultramafic soils

“…All species, both in above-underground parts are characterized by the highest contents of Ni followed by Cr and Co. The same tendency was observed in other studies independently the climate conditions (Kataeva et al 2004;Reeves et al 2007a;Reeves et al 2007b;Lago-Vila et al 2015). For example, leaves of Bonamia mexicana from Santa Elena peninsula (Costa Rica) accumulated 12 mg kg −1 of Ni followed by 0.5 mg kg −1 of Cr and 0.1 mg kg −1 of Co.…”

“…The competition between Ca and metals was observed by other authors (Li et al 2009;Wang et al 2010;Yusuf et al 2011;Lago-Vila et al 2015;Aziz et al 2015). For example, Li et al (2009) andLago-Vila et al (2015) suggested that exchangeable Ca can decrease Ni and Co accumulation by plants because of competition for binding sites in root cells. Furthermore, Wang et al (2010) , Ni 2+ in Triticum aestivum and Pisum sativum.…”

“…Most of the species is characterized by the TF for Ni, Cr, and Co lower than 1 suggesting strategy for exclusion in Polish ultramafic vegetation. It was reported also for plants from Spain, USA, and Taiwan (Oze et al 2008;Lago-Vila et al 2015;Gonneau et al 2017;Hseu and Lai 2017). The exclusion can be explain by sequestration of metals in the vacuoles of roots or binding to the exchange sites of cell walls in xylem (Seregin and Kozhevnikova 2006;Yusuf et al 2011).…”

Physichochemical Properties and Trace Elements of Soils in Mambilla Plateau of Northeastern Nigeria

“…These are higher than the (11,50,100,150,250) mg/kg stipulated standards on agricultural soil by US EPA [40], EPAA [41], WHO [42], EU [43], and CME [44] respectively. Similarly, Lago-Vila et al [45] on analysis of quarry site soil stated a higher Cr level 1300 µg/g in a studied soil. Fosu-Mensah et al [46] on the contrary established a lower chromium level 56.0±1.15 µg/g in soils and vegetation of Korle lagoon.…”

Effect of neutralising substances on reducing the influence of cobalt on the content of selected elements in soil

“…soil pH increased after calcium oxide, zeolite and manure were added to it. An increase in the soil pH promotes the immobilisation of cobalt in a soil solution, thereby reducing its toxicity to plants (Lago-Vila et al, 2015;Li et al, 2009;Wendling et al, 2009). A significant effect of pH and CaCO 3 on the content of cobalt in soil was suggested by Kabir et al (2014).…”