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Fundamental and Applied Research for the Effective Deployment of Phytoremediation 2022

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant–Soil Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2023) | Viewed by 18476

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Joan Laur

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Guest Editor

Institut de recherche en biologie végétale (IRBV), Jardin Botanique de Montréal/Espace pour la vie, Montréal, QC H1X2B2, Canada
Interests: phytoremediation; pollutants; contaminants; plant- microbe-soil-pollutant interactions; omics; wastewater; ecophysiology; interdisciplinary research; applied science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

After last year's successful first edition, we cordially invite all scientists working in this field to present the results of their research.

The use of phytoremediation (i.e., the treatment of polluted air, soil, sediments, and water with plants and associated microbes) to reduce the impact of human activity on the environment has expanded over the past few years.

Both public and private interest in environmental remediation strongly foster research discoveries. Indeed, the scientific community has made outstanding achievements in the field which are about to overcome the major bottleneck of transitioning from the lab to a widespread and effective deployment of these innovative green technologies. In the forthcoming second edition of the Special Issue of Plants on phytoremediation, we welcome scientific works (original research papers, field trials and case studies, methods, modeling approaches, and reviews) from a broad scope of disciplines ranging from -omics studies and basic molecular biology to ecophysiology and large-scale applications. Interdisciplinary works are highly welcomed. The aim of the Special Issue is to highlight original research approaches and to contribute to the successful expansion of phytoremediation applications.

Dr. Joan Laur
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

phytoremediation
pollutants
contaminants
plant–microbe–soil–pollutant interactions
-omics
wastewater
ecophysiology
interdisciplinary research
applied science

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 1327 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Willow and Herbaceous Species’ Phytoremediation Potential in Zn-Contaminated Farm Field Soil in Eastern Québec, Canada: A Greenhouse Feasibility Study

by Alexandre Licinio, Joan Laur, Frederic E. Pitre and Michel Labrecque

Plants 2023, 12(1), 167; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12010167 - 30 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2389

Abstract

Phytoremediation shows great promise as a plant-based alternative to conventional clean-up methods that are prohibitively expensive. As part of an integrated strategy, the selection of well-adapted plant species as well as planting and management techniques could determine the success of a long-term program. Herein, we conducted an experiment under semi-controlled conditions to screen different plants species with respect to their ability to phytoremediate Zn-contaminated soil excavated from a contaminated site following a train derailment and spillage. The effect of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) application on the plants and soil was also comprehensively evaluated, albeit we did not find its use relevant for field application. In less than 100 days, substantial Zn removal occurred in the soil zone proximal to the roots of all the tested plant species. Three perennial herbaceous species were tested, namely, Festuca arundinacea, Medicago sativa, and a commercial mix purposely designed for revegetation; they all showed strong capacity for phytostabilization at the root level but not for phytoextraction. The Zn content in the aboveground biomass of willows was much higher. Furthermore, the degree of growth, physiological measurements, and the Zn extraction yield indicated Salix purpurea ‘Fish Creek’ could perform better than Salix miyabeana, ‘SX67’, in situ. Therefore, we suggest implementing an S. purpurea—perennial herbaceous co-cropping strategy at this decade-long-abandoned contaminated site or at similar disrupted landscapes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fundamental and Applied Research for the Effective Deployment of Phytoremediation 2022)

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15 pages, 2456 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Plant Species Complementarity in Low-Fertility Degraded Soil

by Zhang Wei, Thomas Maxwell, Brett Robinson and Nicholas Dickinson

Plants 2022, 11(10), 1370; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants11101370 - 21 May 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1783

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the compatibility of plants with contrasting root systems, in terms of procurement of limiting soil nutrients. Paired combinations of species of proteas and grasses were grown in a pot experiment using soil from a site with impoverished vegetation and degraded soil. The soil contained sufficient N but was low to deficient in P, Mn, S, Fe, and B. The uptake of chemical elements into the foliage differed significantly according to whether the plants were growing as single or mixed species. When two species of Grevillea and grasses with evolutionary origins in low fertility soils were growing together, there was an enhanced uptake of P and Mn, in one or both species, in addition to other elements that were in low concentrations in the experimental soil. In contrast to this, Protea neriifolia that probably originated from a more fertile soil procured lesser amounts of the six elements from the soil when growing together with grasses. Two grasses tolerant of less fertile soils (Dactylis glomerata and Poa cita) obtained more nutrients when they grew together with proteas; this was a much stronger neighbour effect than was measured in Lolium perenne which is better adapted to high fertility soils. The findings illustrate both the functional compatibility and competition for plant nutrients in mixed-species rhizospheres. Species combinations substantially increased the acquisition of key elements from the soil nutrient pool. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fundamental and Applied Research for the Effective Deployment of Phytoremediation 2022)

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12 pages, 1614 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Chelating Agents Used in Phytoextraction by Switchgrass of Lead Contaminated Soil

by Genna Hart, Marina Koether, Thomas McElroy and Sigurdur Greipsson

Plants 2022, 11(8), 1012; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants11081012 - 08 Apr 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2246

Abstract

Soil lead (Pb) contamination is a recognized environmental and global health problem. Phytoextraction of Pb using switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a second-generation biofuel crop, is typically enhanced by soil chelation. The effectiveness of four different chelating agents, phytic acid (inositol hexaphosphate), citric acid, NTA (nitrilotriacetic acid), and EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) was examined in pot culture. Plants treated with EDTA (1 mM) showed significantly higher shoot Pb concentrations compared to control plants and plants treated with other chelates. Lead-solubility following phytoextraction was examined by soil washing using 0.01 and 0.05 M acetic acid as an extractant solution revealed no significant differences in Pb concentrations in soil among different chelate treatments and control. Furthermore, the effects of different concentrations (1, 2, 5 and 10 mM) of NTA on Pb phytoextraction of switchgrass were examined. Plants receiving 5 mM and 10 mM NTA had significantly higher foliage concentrations of Pb compared to plants treated with lower levels (1 and 2 mM) of NTA. Moreover, the effect of NTA application alone was significantly improved by a combined application of Triton X-100, an alkyl polyglucoside (APG); the Pb concentration in the foliage of switchgrass was more than doubled when treated with NTA combined with APG. The use of NTA combined with APG has great potential in improving phytoextraction efficiencies of switchgrass on Pb-contaminated soils. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fundamental and Applied Research for the Effective Deployment of Phytoremediation 2022)

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25 pages, 2523 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sorption–Desorption Behavior of Doxycycline in Soil–Manure Systems Amended with Mesquite Wood Waste Biochar

by Mohammad I. Al-Wabel, Munir Ahmad, Hamed A. Al-Swadi, Jahangir Ahmad, Yassir Abdin, Adel R. A. Usman and Abdullah S. F. Al-Farraj

Plants 2021, 10(12), 2566; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants10122566 - 24 Nov 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1697

Abstract

Elevated levels of doxycycline (DC) have been detected in the environment due to its extensive utilization as a veterinary antibiotic. Sorption–desorption behavior of DC in soil affects its transport, transformation, and availability in the environment. Thus, sorption–desorption behavior of DC was explored in three soils (S1, S2, and S3) after manure application with and without mesquite wood-waste-derived biochar (BC) pyrolyzed at 600 °C. Sorption batch trials demonstrated the highest DC sorption in soil S1 as compared to S2 and S3, either alone or in combination with manure or manure + BC. Chemical sorption and pore diffusion were involved in DC sorption, as indicated by the kinetic models. Soil S1 with manure + BC exhibited the highest Langmuir model predicted sorption capacity (18.930 mg g⁻¹) compared with the other two soils. DC sorption capacity of soils was increased by 5.0–6.5-fold with the addition of manure, and 10–13-fold with BC application in a soil–manure system. In desorption trials, manure application resulted in 67%, 40%, and 41% increment in DC desorption in soil S1, S2, and S3, respectively, compared to the respective soils without manure application. In contrast, BC application reduced DC desorption by 73%, 66%, and 65%, in S1, S2, and S3, respectively, compared to the soils without any amendment. The highest DC sorption after BC application could be due to H bonding, π–π EDA interactions, and diffusion into the pores of BC. Hence, mesquite wood-waste-derived BC can effectively be used to enhance DC retention in contaminated soil to ensure a sustainable ecosystem. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fundamental and Applied Research for the Effective Deployment of Phytoremediation 2022)

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18 pages, 2793 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Particle Retention Capacity, Efficiency, and Mechanism of Selected Plant Species: Implications for Urban Planting for Improving Urban Air Quality

by Huixia Wang and Hui Shi

Plants 2021, 10(10), 2109; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants10102109 - 05 Oct 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1927

Abstract

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) has been of concern owing to its negative effects on human health and its role in environmental degradation. For mitigation purposes, it is important to select the most efficient plant species in urban greening. Here, a fast, cost-saving methodology was first added to the conventional method to investigate the size-resolved PM retention capacity and efficiency of twenty plant species. Surface PM (SPM), which can be removed by water and brushing, accounted for 44.9–66.9% of total PM, in which the water-soluble PM (DPM) accounted for 12.9–22.1% of total PM. A large mass proportion of in-wax PM (14.1–31.7%) was also observed. Platycladus orientalis, Eriobotrya japonica, Viburnum odoratissimum, Magnolia grandiflora had the highest AE_leaf (retention efficiency on per unit leaf area) to retain SPM within different diameter classes (DPM, PM_0.1–2.5, PM_2.5–10, PM_>10). AE_plant (retention efficiency of individual tree) varied greatly among different plant species, mainly due to the dependence on the total area of a tree. AE_land (retention efficiency on per unit green area) is a suitable index for PM retention ability and efficiency. In general, P. orientalis, V. odoratissimum, Pittosporum tobira, Photinia serrulate, M. grandiflora, E. japonica were the efficient species in retaining PM at different scales (i.e., leaf, individual tree, green area). The species like Trifolium repens, Phyllostachys viridis, were the least efficient plant species. The investigated species are all evergreen species, which will remove PM throughout the whole year, even in winter. So, we recommended that the plant species with the highest PM retention efficiency can be used in urban greening. Meanwhile, horticulture practices should also be considered to improve the leaf area index to improve their PM retention and air purification abilities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fundamental and Applied Research for the Effective Deployment of Phytoremediation 2022)

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14 pages, 1853 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Willow Aboveground and Belowground Traits Can Predict Phytoremediation Services

by Béatrice Gervais-Bergeron, Pierre-Luc Chagnon and Michel Labrecque

Plants 2021, 10(9), 1824; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants10091824 - 02 Sep 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2169

Abstract

The increasing number of contaminated sites worldwide calls for sustainable remediation, such as phytoremediation, in which plants are used to decontaminate soils. We hypothesized that better anchoring phytoremediation in plant ecophysiology has the potential to drastically improve its predictability. In this study, we explored how the community composition, diversity and coppicing of willow plantations, influenced phytoremediation services in a four-year field trial. We also evaluated how community-level plant functional traits might be used as predictors of phytoremediation services, which would be a promising avenue for plant selection in phytoremediation. We found no consistent impact of neither willow diversity nor coppicing on phytoremediation services directly. These services were rather explained by willow traits related to resource economics and management strategy along the plant “fast–slow” continuum. We also found greater belowground investments to promote plant bioconcentration and soil decontamination. These traits–services correlations were consistent for several trace elements investigated, suggesting high generalizability among contaminants. Overall, our study provides evidence, even using a short taxonomic (and thus functional) plant gradient, that traits can be used as predictors for phytoremediation efficiency for a broad variety of contaminants. This suggests that a trait-based approach has great potential to develop predictive plant selection strategies in phytoremediation trials, through a better rooting of applied sciences in fundamental plant ecophysiology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fundamental and Applied Research for the Effective Deployment of Phytoremediation 2022)

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Review

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28 pages, 2522 KiB

Open AccessReview

Biochemical and Metabolic Plant Responses toward Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Heavy Metals Present in Atmospheric Pollution

by Lázaro Molina and Ana Segura

Plants 2021, 10(11), 2305; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants10112305 - 26 Oct 2021

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 4300

Abstract

Heavy metals (HMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are toxic components of atmospheric particles. These pollutants induce a wide variety of responses in plants, leading to tolerance or toxicity. Their effects on plants depend on many different environmental conditions, not only the type and concentration of contaminant, temperature or soil pH, but also on the physiological or genetic status of the plant. The main detoxification process in plants is the accumulation of the contaminant in vacuoles or cell walls. PAHs are normally transformed by enzymatic plant machinery prior to conjugation and immobilization; heavy metals are frequently chelated by some molecules, with glutathione, phytochelatins and metallothioneins being the main players in heavy metal detoxification. Besides these detoxification mechanisms, the presence of contaminants leads to the production of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the dynamic of ROS production and detoxification renders different outcomes in different scenarios, from cellular death to the induction of stress resistances. ROS responses have been extensively studied; the complexity of the ROS response and the subsequent cascade of effects on phytohormones and metabolic changes, which depend on local concentrations in different organelles and on the lifetime of each ROS species, allow the plant to modulate its responses to different environmental clues. Basic knowledge of plant responses toward pollutants is key to improving phytoremediation technologies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fundamental and Applied Research for the Effective Deployment of Phytoremediation 2022)

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