Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Development of Field Platforms for Bioremediation of Heavy Metal-Contaminated Site

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Phytobiont and Ecosystem Restitution

Abstract

An irrigation system in areas near urban periphery is partial or totally relies on untreated sewage effluents. There is very less data available about heavy metal status in raw sewage used for soil irrigation in Pakistan. On the other hand, soil of arid areas and semiarid areas is rich in metals like nickel, zinc, copper, and lead. The bioavailability of these heavy metals is affected largely by physical and chemical characteristics of soil and partially affected by characteristics of plants. This issue is a major concern for the health of humans and animals. Therefore, in order to prevent the possible health hazards of metals in agrarian land monitoring of soil, water and plant quality is essential. Heavy metal-contaminated soils need to be remediated. In Pakistan as a developing country, soil reclamation methods include physical and chemical management that cannot be brought into action because of expensive technologies involved. Phytoremediation, in general, phytoextraction, and microbial remediation in particular offer a promising alternative to conventional engineering-based technologies. Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that may be used to clean up contaminated soil in which plants are used for removing pollutants from the contaminated soils. Phytoextraction remediation technique has two strategies such as natural phytoextraction and chemically enhanced phytoextraction. In one study (Rawalpindi, Pakistan), tolerance potential of plants (Zea mays, sorghum, Helianthus, Brassica) was assessed against deleterious effects of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu) on plant growth, and role of chelator (EDTA, DTPA, and NTA) and tolerant fungal strains was also checked to increase the tolerance index. By 3 years of research, it was assessed that heavy metal uptake and their translocation in biomass of plant enhanced the phytoremediation process from contaminated soil. Phytoremediation research in field can provide capacity building to youth and farmer community. By the bioremediation of soil and water, it is possible to produce biofuel, biomass, and gasification for energy production. Bioremediation techniques will provide training and capacity building to youth and serve an important role at field level for technology transfer and as a broker of emerging technologies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Akhtar S (2015) Effect of chelating agents, fungi and native plants in remediation of metals contaminated soils. PhD thesis. Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

    Google Scholar 

  • Aragay G, Pons J, Merkoçi A (2011) Enhanced electrochemical detection of heavy metals at heated graphite nanoparticle-based screen-printed electrodes. J Mater Chem 2:4326–4331

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blaylock MJ, Salt DE, Dushenkov S, Zakharova O, Gussman C, Kapulnik Y, Ensley BD, Raskin I (1997) Enhanced accumulation of Pb in Indian mustard by soil applied chelating agents. Environ Sci Technol 31:860–865

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borůvka L, Drabek O (2004) Heavy metal distribution between fractions of humic substances in heavily polluted soils. Plant Soil Environ 50:339–345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chaney RL, Malik M, Li YM, Brown SL, Brewer EP, Angel JS, Baker AJ (1997) Phytoremediation of soil metals. Curr Opin Biotech 8:279–283

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen H, Cutright TJ (2002) The interactive effects of chelator, fertilizer, and rhizobacteria for enhancing phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soil. J Soils Sediments 2:203–210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clemett AE, Ensink JH. (2006) Farmer driven wastewater treatment: a case study from Faisalabad, Pakistan. In Conference Proceedings from the 32nd WEDC International Conference on sustainable development of water resources, water supply and environmental sanitation

    Google Scholar 

  • Dara SS (1993) A textbook of environmental chemistry and pollution control. S. Chand, New Delhi, pp 105–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Ensink JH, Simmons RW, Van der Hoek W (2004) Wastewater use in Pakistan: the cases of Haroonabad and Faisalabad. In: Scott CA, Faruqui NI, Raschid L (eds) Wastewater use in irrigated agriculture: confronting the livelihood and environmental realities. CAB International, Wallingford, pp 91–99

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Evangelou MW, Ebel M, Schaeffer A (2007) Chelate assisted phytoextraction of heavy metals from soil. Effect, mechanism, toxicity, and fate of chelating agents. Chemosphere 68:989–1003

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Freeman JL, Persans MW, Nieman K, Albrecht C, Peer W, Pickering IJ, Salt DE (2004) Increased glutathione biosynthesis plays a role in nickel tolerance in Thlaspi nickel hyperaccumulators. Plant Cell 16:2176–2191

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ghani A (2010) Toxic effects of heavy metals on plant growth and metal accumulation in maize (Zea mays L.). Iran J Toxi 4:325–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez-Chavez MC, Carrillo-Gonzalez R, Wright SF, Nichols KA (2004) The role of glomalin, a protein produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, in sequestering potentially toxic elements. Environ Pollut 130:317–323

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grčman H, Vodnik D, Velikonja-Bolta Š, Leštan D (2003) Ethylene diamine dissuccinate as a new chelate for environmentally safe enhanced lead phytoextraction. J Environ Qual 32:500–506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He ZL, Yang XE, Stoffella PJ (2005) Trace elements in agroecosystems and impacts on the environment. J Trace Elem Med Biol 19:125–140

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Iram S, Ahmad I, Riaz Y, Zehra A (2012) Treatment of wastewater by Lemna minor. Pak J Bot 44:553–557

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jamali MK, Kazi TG, Arain MB, Afridi HI, Jalbani N, Memon AR (2007) Heavy metal contents of vegetables grown in soil, irrigated with mixtures of wastewater and sewage sludge in Pakistan, using ultrasonic-assisted pseudo-digestion. J Agron Crop Sci 193:218–228

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kausar S, Mahmood Q, Raja IA, Khan A, Sultan S, Gilani MA, Shujaat S (2012) Potential of Arundo donax to treat chromium contamination. Ecol Eng 42:256–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ke X, Li PJ, Zhou QX, Zhang Y, Sun TH (2006) Removal of heavy metals from a contaminated soil using tartaric acid. J Environ Sci (China) 18:727–733

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan AG (2001) Relationships between chromium biomagnification ratio, accumulation factor, and mycorrhizae in plants growing on tannery effluent-polluted soil. Environ Int 26:417–423

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim C, Lee Y, Ong SK (2003) Factors affecting EDTA extraction of lead from lead-contaminated soils. Chemosphere 51:845–853

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lasat MM (2000) Phytoextraction of metals from contaminated soil: a review of plant/soil/metal interaction and assessment of pertinent agronomic issues. J Hazard Substance Res 2:1–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Leštan D, Luo CL, Li XD (2008) The use of chelating agents in the remediation of metal-contaminated soils: a review. Environl Poll 153:3–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lim NC, Freake HC, Brückner C (2005) Illuminating zinc in biological systems. Chem-AEur J 11:38–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Lombi E, Zhao FJ, Dunham SJ, McGrath SP (2001) Phytoremediation of heavy metal–contaminated soils. J Environ Qual 30:1919–1926

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lone MI (1995) Comparison of blended and cyclic use of water for agriculture. Final research report of project ENGG. (13)90. UGC. Islamabad

    Google Scholar 

  • Luo C, Shen Z, Li X (2005) Enhanced phytoextraction of Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd with EDTA and EDDS. Chemosphere 59:1–11

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malik AH, Khan ZM, Mahmood Q, Nasreen S, Bhatti ZA (2009) Perspectives of low cost arsenic remediation of drinking water in Pakistan and other countries. J Hazard Mater 168:1–12

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malik RN, Husain SZ, Nazir I (2010) Heavy metal contamination and accumulation in soil and wild plant species from industrial area of Islamabad, Pakistan. Pak J Bot 42:291–301

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McGrath SP, Zhao FJ (2003) Phytoextraction of metals and metalloids from contaminated soils. Curr Opinion in Biotech 14:277–282

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meers E, Ruttens A, Hopgood MJ, Samson D, Tack FMG (2005) Comparison of EDTA and EDDS as potential soil amendments for enhanced phytoextraction of heavy metals. Chemosphere 58:1011–1022

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra VK, Tripathi BD (2009) Accumulation of chromium and zinc from aqueous solutions using water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). J Hazard Mater 164:1059–1063

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mubeen H, Naeem I, Taskeen A (2010) Phyto remediation of Cu (II) by Calotropis procera roots. NY Sci J 3(3):1–5

    Google Scholar 

  • Neugschwandtner RW, Tlustoš P, Komárek M, Száková J (2008) Phytoextraction of Pb and cd from a contaminated agricultural soil using different EDTA application regimes: laboratory versus field scale measures of efficiency. Geoderma 144:446–454

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nowack B (2002) Environmental chemistry of amino polycarboxylate chelating agents. Environ Sci Technol 36:4009–4016

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Odjegba VJ, Fasidi IO (2007) Phytoremediation of heavy metals by Eichhorniacrassipes. Environmentalist 27:349–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pivetz BE (2001) Phytoremediation of contaminated soil and ground water at hazardous waste sites. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response: Superfund Technology Support Center for Ground Water, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Subsurface Protection and Remediation Division, Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center

    Google Scholar 

  • Prasad R (2017) Mycoremediation and environmental sustainability, vol 1. Springer International Publishing. ISBN 978-3-319-68957-9 https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-68957-9

  • Prasad R (2018) Mycoremediation and Environmental Sustainability, Volume 2. Springer International Publishing (ISBN 978-3-319-77386-5) https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319773858

    Google Scholar 

  • Rattan RK, Datta SP, Chhonkar PK, Suribabu K, Singh AK (2005) Long-term impact of irrigation with sewage effluents on heavy metal content in soils, crops and groundwater-a case study. Agric Ecosyst Environ 109:310–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rauf A, Javed M, Ubaidullah M (2009) Heavy metal levels in three major carps (Catla catla, Labeo rohita and Cirrhina mrigala) from the river Ravi, Pakistan. Pak Vet J 29:24–26

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shen ZG, Li XD, Wang CC, Chen HM, Chua H (2002) Lead phytoextraction from contaminated soil with high-biomass plant species. J Environ Qual 31:1893–1900

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peer WA, Baxter IR, Richards EL, Freeman JL, Murphy AS (2006) Phytoremediation and hyperaccumulator plants. In: Tamas MJ, Martinoia E (eds) Molecular biology of metal homeostasis and detoxification. Springer, Berlin, pp 299–340

    Google Scholar 

  • Tandy S, Bossart K, Mueller R, Ritschel J, Hauser L, Schulin R, Nowack B (2004) Extraction of heavy metals from soils using biodegradable chelating agents. Environ Sci Technol 38:937–944

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tangahu BV, Sheikh Abdullah SR, Basri H, Idris M, Anuar N, Mukhlisin M (2011) A review on heavy metals (As, Pb, and Hg) uptake by plants through phytoremediation. Int J Chem Eng 2011:1–31. Article ID 939161

    Google Scholar 

  • Vassilev A, Vangronsveld J, Yordanov I (2002) Cadmium phytoextraction: present state, biological backgrounds and research needs. Bulg J Plant Physiol 28:68–95

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaxevanidou K, Papassiopi N, Paspaliaris I (2008) Removal of heavy metals and arsenic from contaminated soils using bioremediation and chelant extraction techniques. Chemosphere 70(8):1329–1337

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wenzel WW (2009) Rhizospheric processes and management in plant asssisted bioremediation (phytoremediation) of soils. Plant Soil 321(385):408

    Google Scholar 

  • Whiting SN, Broadley MR, White PJ (2003) Applying a solute transfer model to phytoextraction: zinc acquisition by Thlaspi caerulescens. Plant Soil 249:45–56

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wong JH, Cai N, Balmer Y, Tanaka CK, Vensel WH, Hurkman WJ, Buchanan BB (2004) Thioredoxin targets of developing wheat seeds identified by complementary proteomic approaches. Phytochemistry 65:1629–1640

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu WM, Carley J, Fienen M, Mehlhorn T, Lowe K, Nyman J, Criddle CS (2006) Pilot-scale in situ bioremediation of uranium in a highly contaminated aquifer. 1. Conditioning of a treatment zone. Environ Sci Technol 40:3978–3985

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xia H, Ma X (2006) Phytoremediation of ethion by water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) from water. Bioresour Technol 97:1050–1054

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Younas M, Shahzad F, Afzal S, Khan MI, Ali K (1998) Assessment of cd, Ni, cu, and Pb pollution in Lahore, Pakistan. Environ Int 24:761–766

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zaidi S, Zaccheo P, Crippa L, Pasta VDM (2006) Ammonium nutrition as a strategy for cadmium mobilisation in the rhizosphere of sunflower. Plant Soil 283:43–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhuang X, Chen J, Shim H, Bai Z (2007) New advances in plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria for bioremediation. Environ Int 33:406–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zia H, Devadas V, Shukla S (2008) Assessing informal waste recycling in Kanpur City, India. Manage Environ Qual Int J 19:597–612

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

    Shazia Iram

Authors
  1. Shazia Iram
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Himalayan School of Biosciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

    Vivek Kumar

  2. Department of Life Science, School of Natural Sciences, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India

    Manoj Kumar

  3. Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Ram Prasad

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Iram, S. (2018). Development of Field Platforms for Bioremediation of Heavy Metal-Contaminated Site. In: Kumar, V., Kumar, M., Prasad, R. (eds) Phytobiont and Ecosystem Restitution. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1187-1_8

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation