Remediation of cadmium-contaminated soils using Brassica napus: Effect of nitrogen fertilizers

Xinyi Zeng; Dongsheng Zou; Andong Wang; Yaoyu Zhou; Yihan Liu; Zihan Li; Fen Liu; Hua Wang; Qingru Zeng; Zhihua Xiao

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109885

Remediation of cadmium-contaminated soils using Brassica napus: Effect of nitrogen fertilizers

J Environ Manage. 2020 Feb 1:255:109885. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109885. Epub 2019 Nov 22.

Authors

Xinyi Zeng¹, Dongsheng Zou¹, Andong Wang¹, Yaoyu Zhou², Yihan Liu¹, Zihan Li¹, Fen Liu¹, Hua Wang¹, Qingru Zeng³, Zhihua Xiao⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, 410128, PR China; Key Laboratory for Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area of Hunan Province, Changsha, 410128, PR China; Hunan Engineering Laboratory for Pollution Control and Waste Utilization in Swine Production, Changsha, 410128, PR China.
² College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, 410128, PR China.
³ College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, 410128, PR China; Key Laboratory for Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area of Hunan Province, Changsha, 410128, PR China.
⁴ College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, 410128, PR China; Key Laboratory for Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area of Hunan Province, Changsha, 410128, PR China; Hunan Engineering Laboratory for Pollution Control and Waste Utilization in Swine Production, Changsha, 410128, PR China. Electronic address: xiaozhihua@hunau.edu.cn.

PMID: 31765948
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109885

Abstract

The physico-chemical characteristics of N fertilizers remain poorly understood with respect to their use with rape (Brassica napus L.) to remediate Cd-contaminated soil. In this work, eight types of fertilizer (comprising physico-chemical alkaline, neutral, and acidic N fertilizers) were employed to assess the effect of soil remediation via rape at different levels of Cd contamination (0, 5, and 10 mg kg^-1 Cd). The results show that the pH of rhizosphere soils was significantly higher under physico-chemical alkaline N fertilizer treatments than under physico-chemical acidic and neutral N fertilizer treatments. The physico-chemical characteristics of N fertilizers affected the rhizosphere soil pH and promoted Cd phytoextraction and accumulation by rape. In the 5 mg kg^-1 Cd-contaminated soil, the Cd accumulation and bioconcentration factor value in the shoots and the Cd translocation factor value were highest with the addition of NH₄Cl, a physico-chemical acidic N fertilizer. Among the physico-chemical alkaline N fertilizers, Ca(NO₃)₂ enabled the highest accumulation of Cd in rape shoots when soil was contaminated with 10 mg kg^-1 Cd. Thus, administering physico-chemical acidic N fertilizer to soils with lower Cd concentrations provides better remediation effects by rape, whereas physico-chemical alkaline N fertilizers are more effective in soils with higher Cd concentrations. These results show that physico-chemical N fertilizers can be employed to enhance the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil by rape and simultaneously improve the yield of this crop, with implications for environmental health and sustainable agricultural development.

Keywords: Heavy metal; Oil crop; Organic acid; Phytoremediation; Rhizosphere soil; pH.

MeSH terms

Brassica napus*
Cadmium
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Soil
Soil Pollutants*

Substances

Fertilizers
Soil
Soil Pollutants
Cadmium
Nitrogen