Giant reed growth and soil biological fertility in assisted phytoremediation of an industrial polluted soil.

Phytoremediation is a cost-effective “green technology” that uses plants to improve the soil properties of polluted sites, preventing the dispersion of pollutants and reducing the mobility of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) through their adsorption and accumulation by roots or precipitation within the root zone. Being highly tolerant to pollutants and other abiotic stresses, giant reed (Arundo donax L.) is a suitable biomass crop for phytoremediation of contaminated soils. We report the results of a two-year open-air lysimeter study aimed at assessing the adaptability of giant reed to grow on industrial substrates polluted by Pb and Zn and at testing commercial humic acids from leonardite as improvers of plant performance. We evaluated giant reed potential for: 1) biomass production for energy or biomaterial recovery; 2) PTE phytoextraction and 3) soil fertility restoration. Chemical fertility was monitored by measuring soil C while soil biological fertility was estimated by quantifying the abundance of bacterial functional genes regulating nitrogen fixation (nifH) and nitrification (amoA). Giant reed above-ground growth on the polluted soils was slightly lower (− 16%) than on a non-polluted soil, with a preferential storage of biomass in the rhizome acting as a survival strategy in limiting growing conditions. Humic acids improved plant stress tolerance and production levels. As aerial biomass (shoots) did not accumulate PTEs, the plant in question can be used for bioenergy or biopolymer production. In contrast, below-ground biomass (rhizomes) accumulated PTEs, and can thus be harvested and removed from soil to improve phytoremediation protocols and also used as industrial biofuel. Giant reed growth increased the abundance of N-cycling bacteria and soil C in the rhizospheric soil, as well as reduced soil Pb and Zn EDTA extractable fraction.