Efficient remediation of PAH-metal co-contaminated soil using microbial-plant combination: A greenhouse study.

A 2-year greenhouse study was conducted to remediate an actual wastewater-irrigated soil co-contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals (Cd and Zn). The remediation methods included microbial remediation, phytoremediation, and microbe-assisted phytoremediation. The maximum PAH removal (96.4%), PAH mineralization, and metal phytoextraction (36.1% Cd and 12.7% Zn) were obtained by interplanting ryegrass with Seduce alfredii with regular re-inoculation with Microbacterium sp. KL5 and Candida tropicalis C10 in the co-contaminated soil. The plants shoots were harvested at a 4-month interval. After 2 years, the concentrations of 16 individual PAHs were reduced to below the limit of Chinese soil quality standard for agricultural use (grade II, pH 6.5-7.5), and the metal concentrations in ryegrass shoots were below the Chinese national limit for animal feeds (GB13078-2001). The exogenous microbes gradually disappeared with time, and thus a 2-month re-inoculation interval was applied for a purpose to maintain high cell density and activity of the inoculants. KL5 introduction increased soil enzyme activity, plant growth, PAH removal and metal phytoextraction, while C10 promoted soil enzyme activity and removal of high-molecular-weight PAHs. Interplanting with S. alfredii reduced metal concentrations in ryegrass tissues. Ryegrass showed stronger rhizosphere effects than S. alfredii did.

Chen F ，Tan M ，Ma J ，Zhang S ，Li G ，Qu J ... -  《-》

Phytoextraction of metals and rhizoremediation of PAHs in co-contaminated soil by co-planting of Sedum alfredii with ryegrass (Lolium perenne) or castor (Ricinus communis).

Wang K ，Huang H ，Zhu Z ，Li T ，He Z ，Yang X ，Alva A ... -  《INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOREMEDIATION》

Phytotreatment of sewage sludge contaminated by heavy metals and PAHs by co-planting Sedum alfredii and Alocasia marorrhiza.

Qiu JR ，Guo XF ，Cai QY ，Liu W ，Zhang MW ，Wei ZB ，Wu QT ... -  《INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOREMEDIATION》

Ochrobactrum intermedium and saponin assisted phytoremediation of Cd and B[a]P co-contaminated soil by Cd-hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii.

Pot-culture experiments were conducted to investigate the potential of microorganism-saponin assisted phytoremediation of cadmium (Cd) and benzo(a)pyrene (B[a]P) co-contaminated soil using Cd-hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii. Results showed that B[a]P-degrading bacterium (Ochrobactrum intermedium B[a]P-16) inoculation significantly increased root (by 22.1-24.1%) and shoot (by 20.5-23.4%) biomass of S. alfredii, whereas the application of saponin had no effect on the growth of S. alfredii. The saponin solution at 2 g L-1 extracted more Cd and B[a]P than water, saponin enhanced Cd and B[a]P bioavailability in soil and thus promoted their uptake and accumulation in S. alfredii. The activity of B[a]P-16, dehydrogenase and polyphenol oxidase in co-contaminated soil was promoted by growing S. alfredii, and the application of B[a]P-16 and saponins caused a significant (P < 0.05) increase in both enzyme activities. The maximum B[a]P removal rate (82.0%) and Cd phytoextraction rate (19.5%) were obtained by co-application of S. alfredii with B[a]P-16 and saponin. The B[a]P-16 and plant promoted biodegradation were the predominant contributors towards removal of B[a]P from soil. A significant (P < 0.05) synergistic effect of B[a]P-16 and saponin on B[a]P and Cd removal efficiency was observed in this study. It is suggested that planting S. alfredii with application of B[a]P-16 and saponin would be an effective method for phytoremediation of soil co-contaminated with Cd and PAHs.

Tao Q ，Li J ，Liu Y ，Luo J ，Xu Q ，Li B ，Li Q ，Li T ，Wang C ... -  《-》

A nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum strain enhances phytoextraction of heavy metals by the hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii Hance.

Low biomass and shallow root systems limit the application of heavy metal phytoextraction by hyperaccumulators. Plant growth-promoting microbes may enhance hyperaccumulators'phytoextraction. A heavy metal-resistant fungus belonged to the Fusarium oxysporum complex was isolated from the Zn/Cd co-hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii Hance grown in a Pb/Zn mined area. This Fusarium fungus was not pathogenic to plants but promoted host growth. Hydroponic experiments showed that 500 μM Zn(2+) or 50 μM Cd(2+) combined with the fungus increased root length, branches, and surface areas, enhanced nutrient uptake and chlorophyll synthesis, leading to more vigorous hyperaccumulators with greater root systems. Soil experiments showed that the fungus increased root and shoot biomass and S. alfredii-mediated heavy metal availabilities, uptake, translocation or concentrations, and thus increased phytoextraction of Zn (144% and 44%), Cd (139% and 55%), Pb (84% and 85%) and Cu (63% and 77%) from the original Pb/Zn mined soil and a multi-metal contaminated paddy soil. Together, the nonpathogenic Fusarium fungus was able to increase S. alfredii root systems and function, metal availability and accumulation, plant biomass, and thus phytoextraction efficiency. This study showed a great application potential for culturable indigenous fungi other than symbiotic mycorrhizas to enhance the phytoextraction by hyperaccumulators.

Zhang X ，Lin L ，Chen M ，Zhu Z ，Yang W ，Chen B ，Yang X ，An Q ... -  《-》