Phytostabilization of arsenic and manganese in mine tailings using Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mott supplemented with cow manure and acacia wood-derived biochar

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of cow manure and acacia wood-derived biochar on the immobilization of arsenic (As) and manganese (Mn) in contaminated mine tailings using Mott dwarf Napier grass ( Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mott). Cow manure or acacia wood-derived biochar was separately mixed with mine tailings at rates of 1, 3, and 5% (w/w). Samples of mine tailings and plants were collected every 30 d during the 120-d period. The total As and Mn accumulation amounts in the plants were analyzed in both the underground (roots) and aboveground (stems and leaves) parts of the plants. The results revealed that cow manure and acacia wood-derived biochar can reduce the mobilization of As and Mn in mine tailings and thus reduce their uptake and accumulation in P. purpureum . Acacia wood-derived biochar was able to stabilize and immobilize As and Mn in mine tailings, allowing the metals to be taken up for plant utilization despite the lower plant growth (biomass and relative growth rates) than that obtained with added cow manure. The accumulation amounts of As in the aboveground and underground parts of P. purpureum grown in mine tailings with 5% BC application were 0.52 ± 0.05 mg kg −1 and 1.57 ± 0.1 mg kg −1 , respectively, while the accumulation amounts of As in the aboveground and underground parts were 31 ± 1.08 mg kg −1 and 73.05 ± 2.60 mg kg −1 , respectively. In other words, the percentage reductions in As and Mn uptake and accumulation in the aboveground and underground parts were 78.6% and 63.9% for As and 72.5% and 69.3% for Mn, respectively. The results of this study can be applied for the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated areas, especially gold mines and surrounding areas, as well as in other areas.

Are Grasses Really Useful for the Phytoremediation of Potentially Toxic Trace Elements? A Review

“…A rapid reduction of AsO 4 3− to AsO 3 3− catalyzed by AR often is followed by complexation with thiols and possibly sequestration into the root vacuoles, which results in lower mobility and translocation of As from the roots to the shoot, except in hyperaccumulators (Zhao et al, 2009). Possibly, due to these As detoxification processes, other grass species, such as Agrostis capillaris, Holcus lanatus (Dradach et al, 2020b), Festuca rubra (Dradach et al, 2020a), and Pennisetum purpureum (also known as Cenchrus purpureus) (Kowitwiwat and Sampanpanish, 2020), have higher As concentrations in the roots than in the shoots. Symptoms of As-induced toxicity are closely related to changes in the integrity of plasma membranes that affect nutrient uptake and plant water status.…”

Potential of Plant Growth Regulators to Enhance Arsenic Phytostabilization by Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mott

“…Successful arsenic phytostabilization was reported for P. purpureum cv. Mott when using other organic amendments, such as cow manure and acacia wood-derived biochar (Kowitwiwat & Sampanpanish, 2020). Moreover, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was shown to increase the translocation and accumulation of arsenic in the aboveground tissue of P. purpureum cv.…”

“…The phytostabilization of arsenic has been reported less than phytoextraction, but it is still interesting. In addition, some plants have been reported to phytostabilize arsenic, including dwarf Napier grass (Boonmeerati & Sampanpanish, 2021;Kowitwiwat & Sampanpanish, 2020) and the halophyte Acanthus ilicifolius (Sarath et al, 2022). These plants were reported for use in mine tailing remediation.…”

“…Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mott (dwarf Napier grass) was used as a model plant to stabilize arsenic from the soil in this study because this plant species has been reported to remediate arsenic via phytostabilization (Kowitwiwat & Sampanpanish, 2020). Moreover, this plant can grow in several soil types and weather conditions, it is resistant to many pests, and its biomass is used for animal feed and as a substrate for bioethanol production (Ishii et al, 2015).…”

Can the Application of Municipal Sewage Sludge Compost in the Aided Phytostabilization Technique Provide an Effective Waste Management Method?

“…Therefore, it seems reasonable to introduce various types of soil amendments to effectively support the formation of dense and stable vegetation cover. Of all the organic soil amendments used to date in the aided phytostabilization technique, the following can be mentioned: various types of compost, peat, as well as lignite-based organic and mineral fertilizers (biocarbons) [10,16,17]. Therefore, the aim was to determine the effect of an organic soil amendment, i.e., MSSC, on supporting the process of phytostabilization of soils severely contaminated with HMs.…”