Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
Volume 29, Issue 14, Pages 21184-21197Publisher
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17290-z
Keywords
Acid mine drainage sludge; Soil substitute; Mine reclamation; Heavy metal(loid); Soil fertility; Soil microbe
Categories
Funding
- open fund of the State Key Laboratory of Comprehensive Utilization of Low-Grade Refractory Gold Ores
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In this study, the potential of acid mine drainage sludge (AMDS) as a topsoil substitute for mine waste reclamation was evaluated through a pot experiment. Results showed that AMDS can support plant growth and ensure environmental safety, with fertilizers significantly increasing plant biomass and Bermuda grass being a suitable pioneer species for reclamation.
The reclamation of mine waste deposits is often hindered by the scarcity of natural topsoil. Acid mine drainage sludge (AMDS), as a mass-produced waste in metalliferous mines, is a potential topsoil substitute but had not been validated. In this study, a pot experiment with three plant species was conducted to evaluate the capacity of AMDS to support plant growth, buffer acidification, and immobilize heavy metal(loid)s when reclaiming mine waste rocks. Chemical fertilizer and compost chicken manure were applied to AMDS at different rates to explore their effects on plant growth and the physicochemical properties of AMDS. Results showed that all the plants could survive in AMDS even without fertilization. The contents of heavy metal(loid)s in rhizosphere remained almost unchanged over the experimental period, indicating low leachability of revegetated AMDS. Fertilizers enhanced macronutrients and soil enzyme activities, leading to significant increases in plant biomass. However, owing to manure composting and low richness and diversity of the bacterial community in AMDS, the NH4+-N and bioavailable phosphorus contents were extremely low. Bermuda grass was a suitable pioneer species for reclamation for its better adaptability to nutrient deficiency and heavy metal(loid) stress. Overall, AMDS is a viable soil substitute for mine reclamation due to its capability to support plant growth and environmental safety.
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