Opportunities and challenges in the remediation of metal-contaminated soils by using tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.): a critical review

Potential ability of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) to phytomanage an urban brownfield soil

“…Therefore, both must be monitored in parallel to changes in microbial, mesofaunal, and animal communities. Technologies for processing shoot biomass of tobacco harvested at phytomanaged sites are listed in Asad et al ( 2017 ), Yang et al ( 2017 ), Rehman et al ( 2019 ), and Kolbas et al ( 2020 ) and not detailed here. Digestates from anaerobic digestion should not exceed 1000 mg Zn and 1.5 mg Cd kg −1 (Arrêté du 8 août, 2019 ), so this point should be considered regarding the processing of our tobacco biomass.…”

“…It can stimulate the biodegradation of organic xenobiotic by the rhizosphere microorganisms (Rezek et al 2004 ; Azaizeh et al 2011 ; Prouzova et al 2012 ; Bisht et al 2015 ; Petrová et al, 2017 ). Processes that valorize tobacco biomass were reported by Asad et al ( 2017 ), Yang et al ( 2017 ), Rehman et al 2019 , and Kolbas et al ( 2020 ), e.g., pyrolysis, hydrothermal oxidation, fermentation, and gasification. The main objectives to be reached by the soil phytomanagement using tobacco at the Borifer site would be to progressively remove the phytoavailable soil Cd and Zn by harvesting shoots, to immobilize in the roots the phytoavailable fraction of several metal(loid)s, e.g., Cu and Pb, to stimulate the dissipation of organic pollutants through the rhizodeposition and microbial biodegradation, and to improve soil properties, e.g., sequestration of carbon.…”

“…Relevant tools to remediate and contain soil contamination include the Gentle Remediation Options (GRO), which aim at reducing the pollutant linkages through transformation, stabilization, degradation, or extraction of contaminants using fungi (myco-), plant (phyto-), and/or bacteria-based methods, with or without amendments or chemical additives (Cundy et al, 2016 ). Cultivation of fibrous, aromatic, and other non-food crops is an option, e.g., flax ( Linum usitatissimum L.), jute ( Corchorus capsularis L.), hemp ( Cannabis sativa L.), ramie ( Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaudich., kenaf ( Hibiscus cannabinus L), nettles ( Urtica dioïca L.), clary sage ( Salvia sclarea L.), coriander ( Coriandrum sativum L.), and tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L.)) (Rehman et al 2019 ; Jeannin et al 2020 ; Saleem et al 2020a , b ; Moreira et al 2021 ). More specifically, in the climatic conditions of southwest and central Europe, several plant species (e.g., N. tabacum L., Helianthus annuus L. , Miscanthus x giganteus J.M.…”

“…Koch, and Amorpha fruticosa L.) are able to relatively tolerate root exposure to Cu and Zn excess, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other xenobiotics, while producing a valuable biomass (Herzig et al 2014 ; Kidd et al 2015 ; Kolbas et al 2018 , 2020 ; Mench et al 2017 , 2018 ; Ndubueze 2018 ). Tobacco is a plant species frequently evaluated in Western Europe and also in China for phytomanaging contaminated soils because it can extract and store metals in its tissues: Zn and Cd in the shoots and Cu and Pb mainly in the roots (Herzig et al 2014 ; Thijs et al 2018 ; Yang et al 2017 ; Rehman et al 2019 ; Moreira et al 2021 ). It can stimulate the biodegradation of organic xenobiotic by the rhizosphere microorganisms (Rezek et al 2004 ; Azaizeh et al 2011 ; Prouzova et al 2012 ; Bisht et al 2015 ; Petrová et al, 2017 ).…”

Tolerance Mechanisms of the Aromatic and Medicinal Plant Salvia sclarea L. to Excess Zinc

“…Heavy metals also interfere with the uptake of essential nutrients and water, and as a result, crop yields decrease in heavy metal polluted soils [3]. In recent years, increased interest has been focused on some economically important plant species with a high capacity to accumulate heavy metals and an increased tolerance to their toxicity for the purposes of the phytoremediation of contaminated soils [2,[4][5][6][7]. Plant metal accumulation varies within and between species, development stages, soil and metal types, time duration, etc.…”