Phytoremediatory efficiency of Chrysopogon zizanioides in the treatment of landfill leachate: a case study

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 26; no. 10; pp. 10057 - 10069
• Main Authors: Fasani, Elisa, DalCorso, Giovanni, Zerminiani, Andrea, Ferrarese, Alberto, Campostrini, Paolo, Furini, Antonella
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.04.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Bioaccumulation; Biodegradation, Environmental; case studies; Chrysopogon - metabolism; Chrysopogon zizanioides; Composition; Contamination; Decontamination; Drinking water; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; employment; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental impact; Environmental science; Evapotranspiration; Fitness; Gases; Groundwater; Italy; Landfill; landfill leachates; Landfills; Leachates; liquids; Metals; Metals - metabolism; Phytoremediation; Plant Development; Plant growth; Plant Roots - metabolism; Refuse Disposal; Remediation; Research Article; roots; Shoots; Soil; Soil contamination; Soil Pollutants - metabolism; Soil remediation; Surface water; Surface-groundwater relations; tap water; Toxicity; Waste disposal; Waste Disposal Facilities; Waste disposal sites; Waste Management; Waste treatment; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Water Pollution Control; Water pollution treatment; Zeolites; Italy; Rhizofiltration; Vetiver; Nitrogen; Landfill leachate; Metals; Chrysopogon zizanioides
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-04505-7

A common approach for waste management is their disposal in landfills, which is usually associated with the production of dangerous gases and of liquid leachate. Due to its toxicity, polluted liquid negatively impacts on the environment with the possible contamination of large volumes of soil, groundwater, and surface water. Leachate remediation is therefore subject of intensive research, and phytoremediation has been achieving increasing interest in recent decades. We describe here the suitability of vetiver grass for the remediation of two leachates collected in urban landfills of northern Italy, characterized by different composition. Our objective was measuring the accumulation/tolerance potential of this species and the evapotranspiration ability in a pot experiment, to evaluate applicability of vetiver plants for the reduction and decontamination of landfill leachate. Plants were grown for 4 months in pots with a zeolite growth bed and watered with either tap water (control) or undiluted landfill leachate. Plant growth and fitness and elemental content in shoots and roots were evaluated at the end of the experiment. In these experimental conditions, the high bioaccumulation of metals highlights the suitability of this species for its employment in phytoremediation; however, vetiver growth under leachate treatment was strongly dependent on leachate composition, making a case-to-case evaluation of plant tolerance necessary before large-scale application.