by icia icia

Objectives:
The MERLIN project proposes the study of metal mobilisation/immobilization mechanisms of hyperaccumulator and non-accumulator plants grown on soils with different metal pollution levels by joint research efforts of Romanian and Austrian researchers. The necessity for the project accomplishment is determined by the existence of nearly 3 million potentially polluted sites in Europe that need remediation, thus the better understanding of the processes from the soil-plant interface represent an important step in the development of practicable phytoremediation technologies.

OBJECTIVES Main objective:

  • The study of metal mobilisation/immobilization mechanisms of hyperaccumulator and non-accumulator plants grown on soils with different metal pollution levels.

Specific objectives:

  • Study design and experiment initiation;
  • Assessment of the hyperaccumulator and non-accumulator plant responses to various levels of metal contamination.
DESCRIPTION The MERLIN project proposes the study of metal mobilisation/immobilization mechanisms of hyperaccumulator and non-accumulator plants grown on soils with different metal pollution levels by joint research efforts of Romanian and Austrian researchers. The necessity for the project accomplishment is determined by the existence of nearly 3 million potentially polluted sites in Europe that need remediation, thus the better understanding of the processes from the soil-plant interface represent an important step in the development of practicable phytoremediation technologies. The complexity and heterogeneity of sites often polluted with multiple metals and metalloids requires the design of integrated phytoremediation systems that combine different approaches. While numerous studies regarding the phytoremediation of soils polluted with metals exists and some phytoremediation technologies are commercially available, only relatively few studies focus on the role of the rhizosphere and on the processes that take place at rhizosphere level. Moreover, the processes underlying the hyperaccumulation process in not well established yet. Thus, the complexity of interactions in the plant–microbe–soil pollutant system at rhizosphere level requires substantial further research efforts to improve our understanding of the processes that take place at rhizosphere level thus contributing to the development of new efficient bioremediation methods.
RESULTS ESTIMATED
  • established experimental conditions for the metal solubility responses in the rhizosphere of hyperaccumulator and non-accumulator plants;
  • performance characteristics and detection limits for the determination methods of metals from soil and plants;
  • initial characteristics of the soil and soil solution;
  • soil characteristics after contamination;
  • hyperaccumulator and non-accumulator plant species grown on polluted soils;
  • plant health status evaluated;
  • dose response curves for hyperaccumulator and non-accumulator plant species;
  • soil metal fluxes identified.
RESULTS OBTAINED
Stage I
  • established experimental conditions for the metal solubility responses in the rhizosphere of hyperaccumulator and non-accumulator plants;
  • performance characteristics and detection limits for the determination methods of metals from soil and plants;
  • initial characteristics of the soil and soil solution.

Stage II

  • plant species grown on contaminated soils,
  • data on the plants health (rapeseed, fern) grown on contaminated soil,
  • total and available metal contents in soil and metal content in plants,
  • translocation and bioconcentration factors calculated for Pb, Cd si Zn in rapeseed and fern,
  • attending to “Sustainable Land Use, Sol Protection and Rural Development in the Danube Region“ conference, 17.04.2013, Tulln, Austria,
  • dr. Mirela Miclean „Problems and challenges for land use and soil protection in Romania, focus on soil pollution” lecture given at „Soil quality and protection in the Danube region (CASEE)” workshop, 18.04.2013, Tulln, Austria,
  • dr. Marin Senila „Analytical techniques and methods used for soil determinations in INCDO-INOE 2000 ICIA Cluj-Napoca” lecture given at BOKU, Tulln, Austria,
  • E. Levei, M. Senila, M. Roman, M. Miclean, C. Tanaselia, C. Paizs „Determination of metal content in horsetail (Equisetum spp.) grown on tailings”, poster at 6th Workshop on Optoelectronic Techniques for Environmental Monitoring, 11-13 June 2013, Timisoara, Romania.
Other Informations Contact:
Dr. Erika-Andrea Levei
Email: erika.levei@icia.ro
Attached documents: