THE PCA OF PHYTOMINING: PRINCIPLES, CHALLENGES AND ADVANCES

There is a number of commercially valuable elements whose concentration in the crust of the earth is too low for an economic mining with traditional approaches. However, phytotechnologies which take advantage of the capacity of certain plant species to take up these elements from the soil solution and accumulate them to large amounts in their biomass can be used for an economic winning of various metals and metalloids. This specific use of phytoextraction which has already been as one technology in the phytoremediation of contaminated sites is called “phytomining”

MERCURY CONTAMINATION IN TOP SOIL AND SELECTED PLANT SPECIES IN AREA OF VEĽKÁ STUDŇA Hg-DEPOSIT (MALACHOV, SLOVAKIA)

High concentrations of mercury represent a big risk to the environment due to the high toxicity of this metal. One of anthropic sources of up-ground environmental mercury contamination is mining industry. Analysis of the contamination and its prevention should be the essential part of the environmental policy for every company, dealing with this element

GENOTYPIC VARIATION IN THE ACCUMULATION OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS (REE) IN PHALARIS ARUNDINACEA L

Rare earth elements (REEs) represent a number of economically valuable elements whose increasing demand is closely associated with rapidly growing high-tech sectors such as high-tech electronics and "green energy technologies". In soils REEs are actually not rare but occur widespread with concentrations comparable to some essential plant nutrients (e.g. Zn). Thus, a promising chance to improve supply of these resources could be phytomining

BIOAVAILABILITY OF ELEMENTS FOR EFFECTIVE PHYTOREMEDIATION AND PHYTOMINING: THE ROLE OF RHIZOSPHERE PROCESSES

The success of phytoremediation (especially phytoextraction) and phytomining depends heavily on the bioavailability of target elements, which, among others, is a function of soil mineral phases, soil organic matter, pH and redox potential. The use of soil additives which, e.g., change soil pH or increase the amount of chelating compounds, has been propagated in the past in order to desorb the target elements from the soil matrix. These additives, however, may have negative environmental consequences by causing leaching of toxic elements from the soil due to enhanced mobility in the soil solution. For this reason less dangerous alternatives are necessary which use the natural capacity of plants to increase availability of target elements in their root environment

SHORT-TERM EFFECT OF DISPERSION OF RESIDUAL SLUDGE ON THE SOIL EUCALYPTUS CAMALDULENSIS DEHNH, TIARET (ALGERIA)

Silvicultural upgrading of sewage sludge is an alternative to current solutions. It presents a lower risk of contamination of the human food chain than its use in agriculture. In this context, the use of forest plantations can offer many advantages

SIDEROPHORES FOR SELECTIVE SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION OF STRATEGIC ELEMENTS

All over the world, industrial mining is leaving contaminated areas and dumps that, although being full of valuable metals, have high concentrations of toxic heavy metals that pollute the environment. The development of sustainable alternative biomining and bioremediation processes offers the potential to fully exploit these unexploited mining sites

Beziehungen zwischen Zikadengemeinschaften und dem Mahdregime sowie der Vegetation in Streuobstwiesen: (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha)

Traditionell bewirtschaftete Obstbaumbestände und ihr zumeist gemähter oder beweideter Unterwuchs (Streuobstwiesen) stellen artenreiche und aus Naturschutzsicht wertvolle Lebensräume der Kulturlandschaft dar. Daher wird eine naturschutz- konforme Nutzung, z. B. der Verzicht auf Düngung und eine extensive Mahd (max. zwei Schnitte pro Jahr) in Streuobstwiesen im Rahmen des bayerischen Vertragsnaturschutzprogramms (VNP) gefördert. In dieser Arbeit wurden die Auswirkungen des Mahdregimes auf die Vegetation und auf die Zikadengemeinschaften von 20 Streuobstwiesen im Landkreis Bamberg (Oberfanken, Bayern) untersucht, die sich hinsichtlich der Mahdhäufigkeit (ungemäht – 1 Schnitt – 2 Schnitte pro Jahr) und der VNP-Vertragshistorie unterschieden. Auf jeder Streuobstwiese wurden im Jahr 2011 auf repräsentativen Untersuchungsflächen Vegetationsaufnahmen erstellt sowie ausgewählte Parameter der Vegetation und der Zikadengemeinschaften erfasst. Auf den 20 Streuobstwiesen wurden insgesamt 134 Pflanzenarten und 59 Zikadenarten mit insgesamt 1.317 Individuen festgestellt. Die zweimal gemähten und ein Teil der einmal gemähten Flächen wiesen höhere Pflanzenartenzahlen sowie höhere Individuenzahlen von Spezialisten unter den Zikaden auf als die Brachen. Auch die Zusammensetzung der Zikadengemeinschaften unterschied sich zwischen zweimalig gemähten Flächen und den Brachen sowie teilweise auch gegenüber einmal gemähten Flächen. Die Zikadenartenzahl und die Arten- und Individuenzahl der spezialisierten Zikadenarten waren signifikant positiv mit der Pflanzenartenzahl und negativ mit der mittleren Vegetationsdichte korreliert. Aus Sicht des Naturschutzes ist die im Rahmen des VNP geförderte extensive Mahd auf den zumeist nur eingeschränkt nutzbaren und von Nutzungsaufgabe bedrohten Streuobstwiesen als günstig für die Erhaltung der Biodiversität der Vegetation und der Zikadenfauna anzusehen.Relations between Auchenorrhyncha communities and the mowing regime and vegetation of orchard meadows. Traditionally mown or grazed orchards meadows („Streuobstwiesen“) are diverse and valuable elements of the cultural landscape. Therefore, specific conservation measures are financed by the Bavarian nature conservation program (“Vertragsnaturschutzprogramm VNP“) to compensate for example the abandonment of fertilization or an extensive mowing regime (max. two cuts per year). In this article, the influence of the mowing regime on vegetation and Auchenorryhncha (“hopper”) communi- ties of 20 orchard meadows in the vicinity of Bamberg (Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Southern Germany) were studied. The meadows differed in mowing intensity (no cut/fallow, one cut, two cuts per year) and VNP contract history. In 2011, selected vegetation parameters and hopper communities were sampled on representative plots. Altogether, 134 plant species and 59 hopper species with 1.317 individuals were recorded. Meadows with two cuts and some with one cut per year showed higher numbers of plant species and higher abundances of specialized hopper species than fallows. Hopper species numbers and species richness and abundance of specialized hopper species showed a significant positive correlation with plant species number and a negative correlation with mean vegetation density. From a conservation point of view, a moderate mowing intensity of one cut per year, as it is supported by the nature conservation programs, seems to be most appropriate for the conservation of biodiversity in orchard meadows

Effect of substrate properties and phosphorus supply on facilitating the uptake of rare earth elements (REE) in mixed culture cropping systems of Hordeum vulgare, Lupinus albus and Lupinus angustifolius

This study presents how phosphate (P) availability and intercropping may influence the migration of rare earth elements (REEs) in legume–grass associations. In a replacement model, Hordeum vulgare was intercropped with 11% Lupinus albus and 11% Lupinus angustifolius. They were cultivated on two substrates, A (pH = 7.8) and B (pH = 6.6), and treated with 1.5 g P m−2 or 3 g P m−2. Simultaneously, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to quantify carboxylate release. There, one group of L. albus and L. angustifolius was supplied with either 200 µmol L-1 P or 20 µmol L-1 P. L. albus released higher amounts of carboxylates at low P supply than L. angustifolius, while L. angustifolius showed the opposite response. Plants cultivated on substrate B accumulated substantially higher amounts of nutrients and REE, compared to substrate A. Higher P supply did not influence the leaf and stem P concentrations of H. vulgare. Addition of P decreased REE accumulation in barley monocultures on alkaline soil A. However, when H. vulgare was cultivated in mixed culture with L. angustifolius on alkaline substrate A with high P supply, the accumulation of REE in H. vulgare significantly increased. Conversely, on acidic substrate B, intercropping with L. albus decreased REE accumulation in H. vulgare. Our findings suggest a predominant effect of soil properties on the soil–plant transfer of REEs. However, in plant communities and within a certain soil environment, interspecific root interactions determined by species-specific strategies related to P acquisition in concert with the plant’s nutrient supply impact REE fluxes between neighbouring plants

PHYTOREMEDIATION POTENTIAL OF NATIVE PLANTS GROWING ON RECLAIMED COAL DUMPS

In the formation of phytocoenoses on the reclaimed coal dumps the processes of self-growth by species most tolerant to conditions of acidification and salinization of soils play an important role. Besides, naturally occurring plant species should have an increased resistance to high concentrations of toxic substances, including heavy metals

Rare Earth Elements (REE): Origins, Dispersion, and Environmental Implications—A Comprehensive Review

The rare earth elements (REE) comprise a group of 16 chemically very similar elements that occur widespread in rocks, soils, and water bodies, share similar ionic radii to the essential element Ca2+, and consequently also occur in biota. Given that REE form mainly trivalent cations, they also share similarities to Al3+. Compared to their chemical cognate Ca, they have a higher reactivity. Thus, their accumulation in soils may constitute a severe environmental threat. Over the last decades, the increasing use of REE in modern technology and fertilizers raised concerns about the pollution of soils and water bodies, which led to a rapidly increasing number of publications dealing with REE toxicity to plants, animals and humans, the fate of REE in soil–plant systems, REE cycling in ecosystems and impacts of REE pollution on food security. This review aims to give an overview of the current knowledge on the occurrence of REE in the total environment, including relevant environmental processes governing their mobility, chemical speciation and transfer from abiotic compartments into biota. Beginning with an overview of analytical approaches, we summarize the current knowledge on the ecology of REE in the lithosphere, pedosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere, including impacts of soil pollution on food security and public health