Journal
CHEMOSPHERE
Volume 224, Issue -, Pages 765-775Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.02.172
Keywords
Alkaline barrier; Autochthonous plants; Designed Technosols; Mine wastes; Sao Domingos mine area
Categories
Funding
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food Research Centre (Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa) [UID/AGR/04129/2013]
- Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia [SFRH/BD/80198/2011]
- Xunta de Galicia [GRC2014/003]
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia [SFRH/BD/80198/2011] Funding Source: FCT
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In order to restore the plant cover, improve ecosystem services and decrease the environmental risk of two mine wastes (gossan and sulfide-rich wastes), an integrated biotechnology was tested at long-term and greenhouse conditions. This integrated biotechnology involves the natural isolation of sulfide-rich wastes through an alkaline barrier, covered by designed Technosols (both of them derived from mining and agro-industrial wastes) and a plant cover with Lavandula pedunculata and Cistus ladanifer. Technosols allowed significant germination (L. pendunculata: 16-18%; C ladanifer: 5-11%) and biomass production of both species (g FW/pot; Roots: 16.3-30.9, Shoots: 41.2-76.4 depending on species and Technosol). In the control was reached the lowest germination (<3%) and seedlings died after 40 days, so the improvement of the chemical characteristics of the surface layer, i.e. the implementation of the designed Technosols, is essential to ensure good vegetative development. No visual symptoms of nutritional deficiency and phytotoxicity neither element concentrations above hazardous levels for domestic animals intake were observed in those plants species. The alkaline barrier's components stabilise the sulfide-rich wastes by decreasing the oxidation and capillary rise of acid solutions that are rich in metals/metalloids. The limestone gravel showed, in some places, a thin layer of salts from alunite-jarosite group and metal-oxyhydroxides. As an outcome, the biotechnology was efficient and sustainable allowing the combined rehabilitation of both mine wastes at long-term. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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