Natural zeolites: Prospects for heavy metal polluted soil remediation

Abstract

The environmental concerns related to oil extraction, transportation and refining include the pollution with heavy metals (HMs). Currently, there is a growing interest in the study of an influence of silicon-rich materials, including such natural minerals as diatomite, zeolite, and others, on the HM behavior in the environment with regard to their exploitation in soil remediation strategy. In greenhouse pot experiment, the effects of natural zeolite on the biomass of barley plants grown in artificially cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soil and Cd uptake and translocation were studied. Zeolite applied to soil at a low rate (0.15%) mitigated the Cd phytotoxicity and provided the same plant biomass production as in uncontaminated soil without zeolite. Zeolite stimulated development of root system. The application of zeolite at a low rate enhanced the phytoextraction process-cleaning up the soil from HM at the early (booting) stage of plant development.