TY - JOUR
T1 - Optimizing Heavy Metal Uptake in Carpobrotus aequilaterus Through Electrokinetic Treatment
T2 - A Comprehensive Study on Phytoremediation from Mine Tailings
AU - Tapia, Yasna
AU - Salazar, Osvaldo
AU - Seguel, Oscar
AU - Suazo-Hernández, Jonathan
AU - Urdiales-Flores, Diego
AU - Aponte, Humberto
AU - Urdiales, Cristian
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.
PY - 2024/12
Y1 - 2024/12
N2 - Copper mining drives economic growth, with the global demand expected to reach 120 million metric tons annually by 2050. However, mining produces tailings containing heavy metals (HMs), which poses environmental risks. This study investigated the efficacy of phytoremediation (Phy) combined with electrokinetic treatment (EKT) to increase metal uptake in Carpobrotus aequilaterus grown in tailings from the Metropolitan Region of Chile. The plants were exposed to varying voltages and treatment durations. In the control (no EKT), the root metal contents were Fe (1008.41 mg/kg) > Cu (176.38 mg/kg) > Mn (103.73 mg/kg) > Zn (30.26 mg/kg), whereas in the shoots, the order was Mn (48.69 mg/kg) > Cu (21.14 mg/kg) > Zn (17.67 mg/kg) > Fe (27.32 mg/kg). The optimal EKT (15 V for 8 h) significantly increased metal uptake, with roots accumulating Fe (5997.24 mg kg−1) > Mn (672 mg kg−1) > Cu (547.68 mg kg−1) > Zn (90.99 mg kg−1), whereas shoots contained Fe (1717.95 mg kg−1) > Mn (930 mg kg−1) > Cu (219.47 mg kg−1) > Zn (58.48 mg kg−1). Although EKT enhanced plant growth and biomass, higher voltages stressed the plants. Longer treatments were more effective, suggesting that EK–Phy is a promising method for remediating metal-contaminated tailings.
AB - Copper mining drives economic growth, with the global demand expected to reach 120 million metric tons annually by 2050. However, mining produces tailings containing heavy metals (HMs), which poses environmental risks. This study investigated the efficacy of phytoremediation (Phy) combined with electrokinetic treatment (EKT) to increase metal uptake in Carpobrotus aequilaterus grown in tailings from the Metropolitan Region of Chile. The plants were exposed to varying voltages and treatment durations. In the control (no EKT), the root metal contents were Fe (1008.41 mg/kg) > Cu (176.38 mg/kg) > Mn (103.73 mg/kg) > Zn (30.26 mg/kg), whereas in the shoots, the order was Mn (48.69 mg/kg) > Cu (21.14 mg/kg) > Zn (17.67 mg/kg) > Fe (27.32 mg/kg). The optimal EKT (15 V for 8 h) significantly increased metal uptake, with roots accumulating Fe (5997.24 mg kg−1) > Mn (672 mg kg−1) > Cu (547.68 mg kg−1) > Zn (90.99 mg kg−1), whereas shoots contained Fe (1717.95 mg kg−1) > Mn (930 mg kg−1) > Cu (219.47 mg kg−1) > Zn (58.48 mg kg−1). Although EKT enhanced plant growth and biomass, higher voltages stressed the plants. Longer treatments were more effective, suggesting that EK–Phy is a promising method for remediating metal-contaminated tailings.
KW - electrochemical treatment
KW - environmental remediation
KW - hyperaccumulator plants
KW - Mediterranean climate-types
KW - remediation efficiency
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85213330326&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/toxics12120860
DO - 10.3390/toxics12120860
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85213330326
SN - 2305-6304
VL - 12
JO - Toxics
JF - Toxics
IS - 12
M1 - 860
ER -
