Enhanced phytostabilization of metal-contaminated soil after adding natural mineral adsorbents

Abstract

A major challenge that we currently face regards protecting the natural environment from the negative effects of heavy metals. Aided phytostabilization is among the successfully developing techniques used to immobilize heavy metals in contaminated soils. Using pot experiments, this study evaluated the potential application of natural mineral adsorbents as immobilizing agents in the aided phytostabilization of Zn-contaminated soil cultivated with Festuca rubra L. The research aimed to determine the infl uence of Zn in doses of 0 (control), 200, 400, and 600 mg.kg-1 of soil, as well as chalcedonite and dolomite amendments on the content of Zn in the above-ground parts and roots of F. rubra. Zn contents in the tested parts of F. rubra differed signifi cantly in the case of applying chalcedonite and dolomite to the soil, as well as increasing concentrations of Zn. The application of dolomite to soil contaminated with Zn contributed to a signifi cant increase in pH values, and turned out to be most effective when it came to reducing total Zn content.