Effect of Lherzolite on Chemical Fractions of Cd and Zn and their Uptake by Plants in Contaminated Soil

Kashem, Md Abul; Kawai, Shigenao; Kikuchi, Nobutoshi; Takahashi, Hideko; Sugawara, Reiko; Singh, Bal Ram

Effect of Lherzolite on Chemical Fractions of Cd and Zn and their Uptake by Plants in Contaminated Soil

2010

Immobilizing materials such as lherzolite could reduce metal bioavailability but the effectiveness of lherzolite on the extractability and bioavailability of cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) is rarely investigated. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to investigate the effect of 5% application of lherzolite to a contaminated soil on the chemical fractionation of Cd and Zn and their uptake by radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and Japanese mustard spinach (Brassica rapa L. var. perviridis). Both plants were grown in a highly contaminated (with Cd and Zn) sandy loam soil. Plants were cultivated consecutively three times in the same pots. After the third cultivation, soil samples were collected and analyzed by sequential extraction procedure into five operationally defined fractions (F1—exchangeable, F2—carbonate-bound, F3—oxides-bound, F4—bound with organic matter, and F5—residual). Addition of lherzolite to soil decreased 50% of exchangeable (F1) Cd but it increased the carbonate (F2), oxide (F3), and organic (F4) fraction Cd. For Zn, application of lherzolite resulted into the reduction of both F1 (87%) and F2 (33%) fractions but it increased the F3, F4, and F5 fractions. The reduction in exchangeable fraction of Cd and Zn in the soil resulted in higher plant growth and lower concentrations of both Cd (64% to 92%) and Zn (78% to 99%) in plant tissues of both plant species grown. We may thus conclude that application of lherzolite resulted into lower availability of these metals in the soil leading to lower uptake of Cd and Zn by plant roots, lower toxicity, and ultimately higher plant growth.

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