Pilot Scale Use of Compost Combined with Sorbents to Phytostabilize Ni-Contaminated Soil Using Lolium perenne L.

Abstract

Purpose An experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential use of a combination of food waste compost with sorbents as immobilizing agents to aid the phytostabilization of Ni-contaminated soil, using Lolium perenne L. (L. perenne). Methods The content of Ni in plants, i.e. total and extracted by 0.01 M CaCl 2 , was determined using the spectrophotometry method. Tests for the phytotoxicity of food waste compost were carried out using Phytotoxkit ™ tests. Results The compost phytotoxicity tests showed that the growth of the roots of L. perenne was slightly stimulated for a compost concentration of 25%, showing the positive impact of this material on plant growth. The biomass of L. perenne in particular organs, Ni content and the properties of soil depended on the dose of a Ni contaminant and the type of mineral and organic mixture incorporated into the soil. Conclusions Ni accumulated predominantly in the roots of the L. perenne. The greatest increase pH was observed after compost with chalcedonite mixture was added to the soil. The application of mineral and organic mixture, containing compost from food wastes and chalcedonite as a soil amendment, tended to reduce the soil total and mobile fraction of Ni more in comparison to the un-amended soil. Graphical AbstractKeywords Aided phytostabilization · Nickel contaminated soil · Food waste compost · Sorbents Statement of noveltyProblems concerning food waste management and disposal worldwide are currently among the most difficult and most topical issues in the organized waste management system. Apart from the least appropriate placing of food waste in landfills, the methods for disposal/recycling of food waste are the production of animal feed and composting. It is considered that the compost may be recycled for the removal of heavy metals from contaminated soils through the use of organic acids, microorganisms and nutrients found in composts. In this manuscript, we show that the mixture of compost from food waste and mineral sorbents (chalcedonite, halloysite), are a promising amendments for co-remediation methods of nickel contaminated soils. These novel soil amendments could be used for enhanced phytostabilization methods.

Application of biological methods to assess the toxicity of soils contaminated with heavy metals and the effectiveness of stabilisation processes

“…The germination index (IG) test is particularly popular, being used in studies concerning the assessment of compost maturity [16,17]. Justification for the application of this test was stressed by Bae et al [18] who reported that germination as the first stage of seed contact with the surrounding environment is a good indicator of their sensitivity to changing environmental conditions.…”

Hazardous wastes treatment technologies

“…The concentration of metals in the presence of oxalic acid significantly increased the Pb and Zn content in leaf and the shoot of Sedum alfredii . Radziemska, Vaverkova, and Mazur (2019) studied the treatment of Ni contaminated soils using phytoremediation supplemented with compost. Lolium perenne L. ( L. perenne ) with compost (25%) enhanced root growth, while Ni accumulation occurred mainly in the roots.…”

Demand-Supply Balance of the Nitrogen Nutrients Converted from Regional Agricultural Organic Wastes for Agricultural Utilization

“…Livestock and poultry (LP) manures and crop straws, as major AOWs [9], have been the focal points in recycling. Many scholars have explored the recycling methods [10,11] and utilization technologies [12][13][14] of these AOWs. Currently, AOWs are mostly recycled by composting [15,16] and biogas fermentation [17,18].…”