Φυτοεξυγίανση εδάφους από κάδμιο με χρήση του αλόφυτου Crithmum maritimum (L.)

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Phytoaccumulation, as one of the phytoremediation strategies, is an environmentally and economically viable solution for the decontamination of soil from heavy metals, because through this technique, the non-degradeable metals can be removed permanently from the remediated site through the harvesting of the plants used. There is also upcoming interest in examining the potential use of halophytes in phytoaccumulation processes since the pollution of land areas with heavy metals due to anthropogenic activities, often coexists with high levels of soil salinity mainly because of the overexploitation of the agricultural lands. It is also of high practical importance the extraction of information on the type and extent of changes occurring in the characteristics of plants and in their capability of absorbing heavy metals, when there are present in the soil fungi that are either part of the natural ecosystem or are added as enhancers for the cultivars. The main purpose of this phytoremediation study is the investigation of the ability of the, endemic in Crete, halophyte Crithmum maritimum L. to absorb cadmium (Cd) from sandy loam soil, in order to evaluate its efficiency in phytoaccumulation on land areas with characteristics typical of Crete. The experimental part of the study included the irrigation and observation of the plants used during an eight week period in summer of 2013. There were plants watered with salty solution instead of water and others that a plant protectant fungus, Trichoderma harzianum, was added in their soil of growth. The aims were to estimate the influence of the soil salinity and the presence of a specific strain of fungus on the capacity of the examining plant to accumulate Cd and on the morphological and productive characteristics of this plant. Concisely, the experimental results provided the conclusion that C. maritimum is a plant tolerant to Cd, able to accumulate it in significant amounts especially under high soil salinity conditions suggesting the use of the plant in phytoaccumulation applications. On the other hand, the presence of the fungus limited the translocation of the accumulated metal to the shoots of the plant suggesting its use for sea fennel agriculture as an edible plant.