Assessment of the adaptive and phytoremediation potential of Miscanthusxgiganteus grown in flotation tailings

Abstract

Mining activities produce enormous amounts of metal-contaminated waste that is the source of ecosystem pollution by metals. Owing to complex adverse environmental conditions, the surface of abandoned flotation tailings is completely devoid of vegetation cover and is therefore very susceptible to fluvial erosion, wind dispersal to neighboring ecosystems and leaching of heavy metals into ground waters. The aim of this study was to estimate the adaptive potential of Miscanthusxgiganteus (Poaceae) to grow on flotation tailings without any input. In this field experiment, plants were grown for four months in flotation tailings and in unpolluted control chernozem soil. Plants accumulated and retained the major part of metals within their roots, exhibiting their very low transfer to aerial parts, which all define M. xgiganteus as a phytoexcluder plant species. Plants grown in flotation tailings showed significant reduction in the net CO2 assimilation rate and growth parameters, and there was no negative impact on pigment content, maximum quantum yield of PSII photochemistry, lipid peroxidation level and total antioxidative capacity in leaves. The obtained results indicate that despite reduced growth, M. xgiganteus can be cultivated for phytoremediation of flotation tailings.