Effect of Soil Aging on the Phytoremediation Potential of Zea mays in Chromium and Benzo[a]Pyrene Contaminated Soils

Abstract

This study compared the phytoremediation potential of Zea mays in soil either aged or freshly amended with chromium (Cr) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). Z. mays showed increased shoot biomass in aged soils than in freshly spiked soils. The shoot biomass in contaminated soils increased by over 50% in aged soil when compared to freshly amended soils, and over 29% more Cr was accumulated in the shoot of Z. mays in aged soil than in freshly amended soil. Planting Z. mays in aged soil helped in the dissipation of more than 31% B[a]P than in freshly spiked soil, but in the absence of plants, there seemed to be no difference between the dissipation rates of B[a]P in freshly and aged co-contaminated soil. Z. mays seemed to enhance the simultaneous removal of Cr and B[a]P in aged soil than in freshly spiked soil and hence can be a good plant choice for phytoremediation of co-contaminated soils.

Insights into Heavy Metals Leakage in Chelator-Induced Phytoextraction of Pb- and Tl-Contaminated Soil

“…Typical tolerant plants including Zea mays , sunflower [9], spinach [10], cabbage, and chrysanthemum, etc., [11,12,13,14,15] are widely considered in phytoextraction processes. Among them, Z. mays is a promising species for HMs phytoextraction from contaminated soil [16].…”

Leaching risk of chelate induced phytoremediation of Tl contaminated soil by Zea mays L.

“…in the soil, and can promote the effective absorption of plants. (2) Typical tolerant plants are mainly :Maize,Vetiver grass,Cabbage and Chrysanthemum [2][3][4] . Among them, the maize(such as ZhengDan 958),a kind of a well-tolerated plants , is determined to be able to "side of the production side of the repair" and is worth promoting [5] .…”