Mechanisms of combined bioremediation by phosphate-solubilizing fungus and plants and its effects on cadmium contamination in phosphate-mining wastelands

Ziwei Wang; Yunting Zheng; Jun Peng; Fang Zhou; Junxia Yu; Ruan Chi; Chunqiao Xiao

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118983

Mechanisms of combined bioremediation by phosphate-solubilizing fungus and plants and its effects on cadmium contamination in phosphate-mining wastelands

J Environ Manage. 2023 Nov 15:346:118983. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118983. Epub 2023 Sep 13.

Authors

Ziwei Wang¹, Yunting Zheng¹, Jun Peng¹, Fang Zhou¹, Junxia Yu¹, Ruan Chi², Chunqiao Xiao³

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Novel Biomass-Based Environmental and Energy Materials in Petroleum and Chemical Industry, Engineering Research Center of Phosphorus Resources Development and Utilization of Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China.
² Key Laboratory of Novel Biomass-Based Environmental and Energy Materials in Petroleum and Chemical Industry, Engineering Research Center of Phosphorus Resources Development and Utilization of Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China; Hubei Three Gorges Laboratory, Yichang, 443007, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Novel Biomass-Based Environmental and Energy Materials in Petroleum and Chemical Industry, Engineering Research Center of Phosphorus Resources Development and Utilization of Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China; Hubei Three Gorges Laboratory, Yichang, 443007, China. Electronic address: chunqiao@wit.edu.cn.

PMID: 37714083
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118983

Abstract

Owing to uncontrolled mining activities and lack of ecological protection measures, phosphate-mining wastelands are contaminated with the heavy metal Cd. In this study, Penicillium oxalicum strain ZP6, a Cd-resistant phosphate-solubilizing fungus, was used in combination with the fast-growing, high-biomass plant Brassica juncea L. to enhance Cd remediation in phosphate-mining wastelands. Further, the bioremediation mechanisms were explored and elucidated. In pot experiments, strain ZP6 and Brassica juncea L. alone were significantly effective in removing Cd from phosphate-mining wastelands; however, their combination was more effective, exhibiting a high removal rate of 88.75%. The presence of phosphorite powder increases soil-enzyme activity, promotes plant growth, and reduces the bioaccumulation and translocation factors. However, Cd-inhibited plant growth and chlorophyll content increased malondialdehyde accumulation, which was alleviated by inoculation with strain ZP6. The results from the study indicate that bioremediation using a combination of strain ZP6 and plants is a restoration strategy with appreciable potential to resolve Cd contamination in phosphate-mining wastelands.

Keywords: Cadmium contamination; Penicillium oxalicum; Phytoremediation; Rhizosphere; Soil enzymes.