Dynamics of metal tolerant plant communities’ development in mine tailings from the Cartagena-La Unión Mining District (SE Spain) and their interest for further revegetation purposes

Conesa, Héctor M.; García, Gregorio; Faz, Ángel; Arnaldos, Raquel

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2007.01.072

Cited by 105 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Conesa et al (2007c) reported a complete characterization of local plant communities which grow in local tailings, showing that most of the species belong to Gramineae (P. miliaceum, L. spartum, Phragmites australis) and Compositae (Dittrichia viscosa, H. decumbens, Phagnalon saxatile, Senecio vulgaris, Sonchus tenerrimus).…”

Section: Plant Metal Uptake and Implications For Remediationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metal Uptake by Spontaneous Vegetation in Acidic Mine Tailings from a Semiarid Area in South Spain: Implications for Revegetation and Land Management

Conesa

Faz

2010

Water Air Soil Pollut

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Tailings are frequently a source of pollution in mining areas due to the spread of metals from their bare surfaces via wind or runoff water. Phytostabilization is an interesting and low-cost option to decrease environmental risks in these sites. In this study, an acidic mine tailing (pH 3-4) located in a semiarid area in Southeast Spain and the spontaneous vegetation which grow on were investigated. Soil samples were taken to characterize metal contamination, and three plant species, Lygeum spartum, Piptatherum miliaceum, and Helichrysum decumbens, were sampled in order to determine plant uptake of metals. The rhizosphere pH of H. decumbens was measured to be 6.7, which was significantly higher than the bulk soil (pH 3). The electrical conductivity values were around 2-5 dS m −1 . Total metal concentrations in soil were high (9,800 mg kg −1 for Pb and 7,200 mg kg −1 for Zn). DTPA-extractable Zn and Pb were 16% and 19% of the total amount, respectively. The three selected plant species accumulated around 2-5 mg kg −1 Cu in both shoots and roots. Zn concentration was 100 mg kg −1 in P. miliaceum roots. DTPA-extractable Zn was positively correlated with Zn plant uptake. These plant species demonstrated to grow well in acid tailings taking up only low concentrations of metals and therefore are good candidates to perform further phytostabilization works.

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Section: Plant Metal Uptake and Implications For Remediationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metal Uptake by Spontaneous Vegetation in Acidic Mine Tailings from a Semiarid Area in South Spain: Implications for Revegetation and Land Management

Conesa

Faz

2010

Water Air Soil Pollut

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“…It should be emphasized that these plants are generally specific to a regional area and the type of metal contaminants present. Further, plant communities that have naturally established on mine tailings sites indicate that plant community stability and diversity can even be different within the same regional area because of differences in physicochemical factors (e.g., pH, cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity, and metal content) (Conesa et al 2007a). Therefore, phytostabilization must be tailored to the physicochemical characteristics of individual mine tailings sites.…”

Section: Phytostabilization Of Mine Tailingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phytoremediation of mine tailings in temperate and arid environments

Mendez

Maier

2007

Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol

367

183

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Phytoremediation is an emerging technology for the remediation of mine tailings, a global problem for which conventional remediation technologies are costly. There are two approaches to phytoremediation of mine tailings, phytoextraction and phytostabilization. Phytoextraction involves translocation of heavy metals from mine tailings to the plant shoot biomass followed by plant harvest, while phytostabilization focuses on establishing a vegetative cap that does not shoot accumulate metals but rather immobilizes metals within the tailings. Phytoextraction is currently limited by low rates of metal removal which is a combination of low biomass production and insufficiently high metal uptake into plant tissue. Phytostabilization is currently limited by a lack of knowledge of the minimum amendments required (e.g., compost, irrigation) to support long-term plant establishment. This review addresses both strategies within the context of two specific climate types: temperate and arid. In temperate environments, mine tailings are a source of metal leachates and acid mine drainage that contaminate nearby waterways. Mine tailings in arid regions are subject to eolian dispersion and water erosion. Examples of phytoremediation within each of these environments are discussed.Current research suggests that phytoextraction, due to high implementation costs and long time frames, will be limited to sites that have high land values and for which metal removal is required. Phytostabilization, due to lower costs and easier implementation, will be a more commonly used approach. Complete restoration of mining sites is an unlikely outcome for either approach.

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“…In these contaminated areas, the bare surfaces of the mine tailings-covered soils will accelerate surface soil erosion by rain, underground water contamination due to leaching, and atmosphere pollution by wind, particularly if there is no vegetation cover (Conesa et al, 2007). Thus, the degree of contamination may increase and the range expands (Salvarredy-Aranguren et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of Vicia faba L. to metal toxicity on mine tailing substrate: Geochemical and morphological changes in leaf and root

Probst

Liu

Fanjul

et al. 2009

Environmental and Experimental Botany

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a b s t r a c tVicia faba L. seeds were grown in a pot experiment on soil, mine tailings, and a mixture of both to mimic field situations in cultivated contaminated areas near mining sites. Metals in the substrates and their translocation in root, stem and leaf tissues were investigated, including morphological responses of plants growing on mine tailings. Metal concentration -and generally bioaccumulation -was in the order: roots > leaves > stems, except Pb and Cd. Translocation was most significant for Zn and Cd, but limited for Pb. Metal concentration in root and leaf was not proportional to that in the substrates, unexpectedly the minimum being observed in the mixed substrate whilst plant growth was retarded by 20% (38% on tailings). Calcium, pH, organic matter and phosphorus were the main influencing factors for metal translocation. The ultrastructure of V. faba L. cells changed a lot in the mine tailings group: root cell walls were thickened with electron dense Pb, Zn and C particles; in chloroplasts, the number of plastoglobuli increased, whereas the thylakoids were swollen and their number decreased in grana. Finally, needleshaped crystalline concretions made of Ca and P, with Zn content, were formed in the apoplast of the plants. The stratagems of V. faba L. undergoing high concentrations of toxic metals in carbonate substrate, suggest root cell wall thickening to decrease uptake of toxic metals, a possible control of metal transport from roots to leaves by synthesizing phytochelators-toxic metal complexes, and finally a control of exceeded Ca and metal concentration in leaves by crystal P formation as ultimate response to stress defense. The geochemical factors influencing metal availability, guaranty a reduction of metal content in plant growing on mixed tailing/soil substrate as far as carbon te are not completely dissolved.

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Dynamics of metal tolerant plant communities’ development in mine tailings from the Cartagena-La Unión Mining District (SE Spain) and their interest for further revegetation purposes

Cited by 105 publications

References 20 publications

Metal Uptake by Spontaneous Vegetation in Acidic Mine Tailings from a Semiarid Area in South Spain: Implications for Revegetation and Land Management

Metal Uptake by Spontaneous Vegetation in Acidic Mine Tailings from a Semiarid Area in South Spain: Implications for Revegetation and Land Management

Phytoremediation of mine tailings in temperate and arid environments

Response of Vicia faba L. to metal toxicity on mine tailing substrate: Geochemical and morphological changes in leaf and root

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