Research of reclamation of polluted mine soils by native metallophytes: some cases

Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate the phytoremediation potential of Brassicaceae plant species growing on mineralized and contaminated soils. The concentrations of six potentially toxic metals (Cd, Cu, Co, Ni, Pb and Zn) in the soils and plants collected from four mining areas of the Karachay-Cherkesia and the Dagestan (the North Caucasus, Russia) were determined. Mine soils showed high acid-soluble and extractable concentrations of: Cu, Zn, at Urup copper ore mining area; Ni, in the Beden serpentine quarry; and Zn and Pb around Kurush-Mazin polymetallic ores. Results demonstrated that metal concentrations in soils were in general above the Russian maximum permissible values. In all studied areas, Brassicaceae were pioneer species, and revealed a high tolerance to soils with high concentrations of potentially toxic metals. Different degrees of accumulating capacity were found in the studied Brassicacaeae species: hyperaccumulation of Ni in Alyssum murale , and significant accumulation of several metals in Arabis sagittata . These species can be used in a cost-effective process of phytoextraction. They are promising species for rehabilitation of degraded and/or contaminated soils of the North Caucasus.

The Alleviation of Metal Stress Nuisance for Plants—A Review of Promising Solutions in the Face of Environmental Challenges

“…In phytoextraction, which constitutes the most popular method of phytoremediation relying on the total removal of contaminants from the environment, hyperaccumulating plants may work the best due to their ability (about 100–1000-fold higher than in other plants) regarding effective uptake and translocation of metallic elements [ 45 ]. Many studies have demonstrated the phytoextraction potential of metallophytes from various genera, such as Alyssum murale [ 46 ], Arabidopsis halleri [ 35 ], Biscutella laevigata [ 37 ], and Stackhousia tryonii among others [ 47 ]. Nowadays, phytoextraction achieves two goals at once.…”

“…Such an approach was first used in the 1960s, when Zn-Pb tolerant populations of Agrostis tenuis, A. stolonifera, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Festuca rubra , and F. ovina were investigated [ 50 ]. Recently, the potential of native metal-tolerant species for revegetation has been successfully verified for Agropyron smithii and Artemisia tridentate [ 51 ], Lygeum spartum [ 52 ], Achillea wilhelmsii [ 53 ], and Matthiola dagestanica and Draba stylaris [ 46 ]. The usefulness of metallophytes for revegetation and the phytostabilization of Zn-Pb rich soils in the Olkusz Ore-bearing Region, one of the biggest industrial areas in Poland, has been also proven in our earlier studies for Biscutella laevigata [ 49 , 54 ], Dianthus carthusianorum [ 49 ], Gypsophila fastigiata [ 55 ], and Silene vulgaris [ 56 ].…”

Edaphic and topographic gradients have differential influence on woody species assemblages on ultramafic and non-ultramafic soils in an African Savanna

“…Academic and industrial scientists came together to explore how such plants can be used for both the reclamation of vast areas of contaminated soils (i.e., phytoremediation) (Drozdova et al 2019;Nascimento et al 2021), and the extraction of toxic metals (i.e., phytomining) from metal-rich sites such as abandoned mine tailings and waste sites (Brooks et al, 1998;Cedeira-Perez et al 2019;Muthusamy et al 2022;Reeves, 2003;Walker et al,1955). The study of plants growing under extreme soil conditions holds much promise, providing a model for both botanical studies as well a means for an alternative to environmental rehabilitation.…”