Abstract

Phytoremediation comprises a set of technologies (e.g. plant assisted bioremediation,phytoextraction, phytostabilisation) based on some specific plant capabilities directlyor indirectly promoting contaminant removal. Bioremediation of contaminated sites isin line with environmental sustainability and with so called Green Remediation. Itmeans "the practice of considering all environmental effects of remedy implementationand incorporating options to maximize the net environmental benefit of cleanup actions".Phytoremediation or more properly plant assisted bioremediation provides arelatively low cost, environment friendly treatment for many multi contaminated areas.In this work, the results of the first 14th months of poplarassisted bioremediationof a historically PCB contaminated area in Southern Italy is reported. The Monviso clone was selected forits tested capability to promote hexachlorocyclohexane degradation in another CNR field study. The areainvestigated has been used for several decades as an unsupervised waste disposal tip and it is contaminatedas well as PCBs by heavy metals. Six hundred poplar cuttings (Monviso clone) were planted in anarea of 785 m2 previously fertilized with compost. After 14 months, of plant cuttings, soils, roots andleaves of selected target trees were analysed in order to identify PCBs and heavy metals contamination(HM). Chemical investigations were conducted before and after poplar planting using GC-MS and ICP-MSinstruments, respectively. At the same time, the abundance, cell viability and dehydro-genase activity(DHA) of the autochthonous microbial community were assessed to investigate micro-organisms' role inthe reclamation processes. The comparison of the initial chemical analysis of the contaminated area withthose performed 14 months after the poplar cutting planting, makes it possible to show:- a general decrease in most of PCB congeners in all soil samples analysed and in no case was the legallimit (60 ppb) exceeded. Trace concentrations of PCBs were found in roots and leaves (their amountwas always below the legal limits).- HMs, which were initially found as widespread contaminants and at concentrations generally higherthan the legal limits, had by 14 months after the poplar-cuttings planting drastically, decreased at allthe sampling points. Zn, Cd, Se and Sn were detected in leaf and root samples of the target tree investigated.The HM plant bioconcentration factor (BAF, considering roots and leaves) and translocationfactor (TF) suggest that poplars are also able to partially phytoextract and phyto-stabilise HMs.Microbial results show a significant improvement in microbial activity. In fact microbial DHA increasedin all samples analysed 14 months after the poplar-cuttings planting, although it maintained differentvalues at the different sampling points. Overall experimental results suggest an improvement insoil quality in terms of decreasing of P

Autore Pugliese

• Mascolo Giuseppe , Ancona Valeria , Uricchio Vito Felice

Tutti gli autori

• V. Ancona; A. Barra Caracciolo; P. Grenni; M. Di Lenola; C. Campanale; V.F. Uricchio; G. Mascolo;A. Massacci

Titolo volume/Rivista

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Anno di pubblicazione

2015

ISSN

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ISBN

978-960-8475-23-6

Numero di citazioni Wos

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Settori ERC

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