Phytoremediation: an alternative remediaton technology and a sustainable marginal land management option

Abstract

When, due to technical or financial reasons, conventional remediation technologies for soil are inapplicable, literature often suggests phytoremediation as an alternative remediation technology. Moreover, using biomass originating from contaminated land as a feedstock for energy production or for (chemical) industry may contribute to the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, compared to conventional remediation technologies, but also within the wider framework of the European Renewable Energy Directive. However, the harvested biomass may contain increased amounts of metals and these need safe treatment to avoid new spreading in the environment and subsequent health costs. The integration of all these aspects of phytoremediation in an economic study has not been performed before. Phytoremediation undoubtedly has a high potential to enhance the degradation and/or removal of organic contaminants from soils and undeep groundwater (Vangronsveld et al., 2009; Weyens et al., 2009, 2010). However, based on extrapolations of data obtained from pot experiments, enthusiastic promises have been made concerning the potential of metal phytoextraction (Salt et al., 1995; Rulkens et al., 1998; Susarla et al., 2002; Mench et al., 2010). In general, a trace element phytoextraction protocol consists of the following elements (Vangronsveld et al., 2009): (i) cultivation of the appropriate plant/crop species on the contaminated site; (ii) removal of the harvestable trace element enriched biomass from the site; and (iii) post-harvest treatment of the biomass (i.e. digestion, pressing, combustion). ...