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. 2024 Apr 29;14(1):9842.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-60412-z.

Lead and copper removal from sterile dumps by phytoremediation with Robinia pseudoacacia

Adriana Mihaela Chirilă Băbău  1 , Valer Micle  2 , Gianina Elena Damian  3 , Ioana Monica Sur  4
Affiliations

Lead and copper removal from sterile dumps by phytoremediation with Robinia pseudoacacia

Adriana Mihaela Chirilă Băbău et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

In Romania, huge quantities of gangue material from the mining activity practiced in the past were improperly stored and led to the pollution of the environment. Thus, this work is framed to manage the sterile dump of the "Radeș" mine (Alba, Romania) through a 12-week phytoremediation process. The efficient use of Robinia pseudoacacia was studied through the implementation, at the laboratory level, of a phytoremediation experiment based on various variants prepared by mixtures of gangue material, uncontaminated soil, and dehydrated sludge. The prepared variants, all planted with R. pseudoacacia, were watered with tap water, potassium monobasic phosphate, and enzyme solution. The bioconcentration and translocation factors for lead showed values ˂ 1, which indicates a potential presence of an exclusion system for Pb or a reduced Pb bioavailability since the R. pseudoacacia accumulates high concentrations of metals absorbed on and inside the roots. For copper, both factors had values > 1 indicating the suitability of R. pseudoacacia to readily translocate copper into the epigean organs. In the investigated experimental conditions, the highest efficiency in the removal of copper (93.0%) and lead (66.4%) by plants was obtained when gangue material was not mixed with other materials and wetted with enzymatic solution.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The average concentration of lead present in the samples taken from the bulk material, rhizosphere , and aerial parts of black locust specific to the prepared variants. SM sterile material, TW tap water, ES enzyme solution, MP solution based on KH2PO4, US unpolluted soil, S sludge.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The average concentration of copper present in the samples taken from the bulk material, rhizosphere, and aerial parts of black locust specific to the prepared variants. SM sterile material, TW tap water, ES enzyme solution, MP solution based on KH2PO4, US unpolluted soil, S sludge.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Factors of lead bioconcentration and translocation in Robinia pseudoacacia for the investigated experimental variants. SM sterile material, TW tap water, ES enzyme solution, MP solution based on KH2PO4, US unpolluted soil, S sludge.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Copper bioconcentration and translocation factors in Robinia pseudoacacia for the investigated experimental variants. SM sterile material, TW tap water, ES enzyme solution, MP solution based on KH2PO4, US unpolluted soil, S sludge.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The yield of the lead phytoextraction process from the experimental variants. SM sterile material, TW tap water, ES enzyme solution, MP solution based on KH2PO4, US unpolluted soil, S sludge.
Figure 6
Figure 6
The yield of the copper phytoextraction process from the experimental variants. SM sterile material, TW tap water, ES enzyme solution, MP solution based on KH2PO4, US unpolluted soil, S sludge.
Figure 7
Figure 7
The geographical location of the “Radeș” dump in Alba County in Romania.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Preparation of plant samples for drying (a) and mineralization (b).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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