Potential of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and pea (Pisum sativum) for remediation of soils contaminated with bromides and PAHs

ABSTRACT

The aim of the research was to study a removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phytoextraction of bromine (Br) from contaminated soils. The experiments using pea and wheat seedlings as potential candidates for soil remediation were performed. The soil for the experiments was collected from a site slightly contaminated by some PAHs. Before planting, the soil was exposed to 20 mg of Br/kg of soil. In the soil taken from rhizosphere of pea and wheat, the concentrations of many PAHs decreased up to 7 times compared to the concentrations of the compounds in the initial soil. Pea was capable of more effectively influencing the soil PAHs than wheat. The growth of pea and wheat in the soil spiked with Br resulted in a significant increase of Br concentration in a plant. Concentration of Br in roots of pea and wheat increased 21 and 3 times, respectively. Bromine content in leaves of wheat and pea increased 10 and 4.5 times. This accumulation of Br in the plants led to a decrease of its concentration in the rhizosphere soil. The experimental results demonstrated a good ability of the plants to cleanup the soils contaminated with organic and inorganic compounds.

KEYWORDS:

• Bromine
• low molecular weight organic compounds
• pea
• phytoremediation
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
• wheat

Acknowledgment

The authors acknowledge the technical support of the Environmental Safety Observatory of the Resource Centre of St. Petersburg State University.

Funding

Irina Shtangeeva acknowledges financial support from Academy of Finland and St. Petersburg University.