| Establishment and Growth of Lolium multiflorum for Phyto-Remediation of Pb/Zn Tailings |
2004 |
| Author(s): Jian, S. (Zhongshan Univ., South China Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China); Z. Yang; W. Jian |
Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol 15 No 2, p 255-260, 2004
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| Mine: |
Waste Type: tailings |
Contaminant(s): metals |
Technology Type: phytoremediation |
| Keywords: lead, zinc, phytoremediation, Lolium multiflorum |
| Abstract: On an acidified Pb/Zn mine tailings site, crops of Sesbania rostrata were followed by plantings of Lolium multiflorum. The S. rostrata issues were either harvested and removed or buried into the tailings as green compost. The researchers investigated changes in the chemical and physical properties of the tailings and the germination, growth, and heavy metal accumulation of L. multiflorum. The results showed that cropping of S. rostrata improved the chemical and physical properties of the tailings,especially for the content of organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium. The strong acidity (pH <3) of the tailings was the main factor that limited the establishment of L. multiflorum. The acidity was decreased temporarily by lime application, which improved the germination rate, but the acidity returned to high levels by the end of the experiment. L. multiflorum did germinate, grow, and establish on the Pb/Zn tailings, and yielded relatively great biomass. Initial cropping with S. rostrata increased the biomass of subsequent L. multiflorum by 4.8 to 39.5% when it was harvested and removed, while tilling the crop back into the soil resulted in a 2.7 to 75.8% increase in L. multiflorum biomass. The results indicate that sequential plant croppings could be a successful strategy for the restoration of Pb/Zn tailings. |
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