Efficacy of EDTA and Olive Mill Wastewater to Enhance As, Pb, and Zn Phytoextraction by Pteris vittata L. from a Soil Heavily Polluted by Mining Activities

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of Na 2 -EDTA 0.01 M (E) and olive mill wastewater 15% (OMW) on As, Pb, and Zn uptake by Pteris vittata L. grown in a soil highly contaminated by mining activities. A two-factor experimental design was followed; 3 treatments (E, OMW, and E + OMW) × 2 batches (single or double dose). Six weeks after the P. vittata transplanting, all pots received the selected dose of each treatment (Batch I). At 8 weeks, in half of the pots, a second dose of the same treatments was added (Batch II). Plants were harvested after 10 weeks and As, Pb, and Zn concentrations were determined in fronds and roots. Depending on the element, both treatment and batch effects were significant. In Batch II, EDTA application resulted in a 55% increase of As and 9-and 4-fold of Pb and Zn concentrations in the fronds, while OMW treatment substantially reinforced plant uptake when combined with EDTA. Roots to fronds translocation of the metal(loid)s highly increased in Batch II. After harvest, composite soil samples of all treatment-batch combinations were subjected to sequential extraction, but no significant differentiations of As, Pb, and Zn partitioning in soil phases were detected.

Effect of Hexavalent Chromium [Cr(VI)] on Phytoremediation Potential and Biochemical Response of Hybrid Napier Grass with and without EDTA Application

“…The Cr(VI) occurs in strong oxidizing forms and it is very toxic to plant, animal, and human, because of its high solubility and mobility [3]. Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) is one of the common chelating agents, which enhances metal uptake, increases its transport from roots to shoot, and alters the metal speciation and phytotoxicity [4,5,6]. EDTA can disturb the concentration balance of Cr(VI) in the liquid and solid phases of soil to form mobile compounds, which can be leached with water or absorbed by plants by chelating or coordinating some difficult-to-move Cr [7].…”

Soil Contamination by Heavy Metals and Metalloids

“…Phytoextraction, a strategy that uses plants to accumulate HM/PTEs in the biomass, is an alternative approach to restore contaminated soils and that has several limitations impeding its use in commercial applications [19,20]. As a practical example of this phytoremediation approach, Antonangelo and Zhang [21] dealt with the influence of nitrogen (N) added via biochars from different feedstocks on the cadmium (Cd) removal ability by ryegrass.…”

Desorption of Arsenic from Calcareous Mine Affected Soils by Phosphate Fertilizers Application in Relation to Soil Properties and As Partitioning

“…Firstly, most of PTEs can cause toxicity even at low concentrations jeopardizing human and animal health [1]. Secondly, it is necessary to better understand the geochemical behavior of PTEs in order to develop and apply techniques related to restoration of contaminated soils [2,3].…”