Abstract
To investigate this strategy, 15 field scale trials were implemented in five countries [1]. These have
evaluated the performance of Phalaris, Miscanthus, 2 x Saccharum and 2 x Pennisetum species
for combined energy crop production, phyto-remediation and or phyto-management of
contaminated land in Brazil and Europe. Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) is a native
perennial rhizomatous C3 species suitable for non-agricultural or marginal lands and climatic
zones such as Scotland (where C4 Miscanthus x giganteous cannot be grown effectively). Our
phytoremediation trials using Phalaris in Italy and Ukraine are the first we are aware of.
Given the wide variety of non-agricultural marginal lands [2], species selection must combine
significant biomass production on marginal land with acceptable levels of biomass contamination
for subsequent use or energy conversion. Whereas specialist hyperaccumulator plants may
achieve higher absolute concentrations of contaminants and exhibit greater bioconcentration and
translocation factors, their inherently lower biomass productivity means that both biomass,
energy yield and total mass of contaminants removed per unit area will be relatively small. In
contrast, high yielding, low contaminant uptake characteristics, such as for conventional energy
crop species, would result in greater energy production, economic viability and greater potential
for biomass utilisation.
In the UK the CERESiS project has utilised long-term field trials originally established during the
BioReGen (Biomass, Remediation, re-Generation: Reusing Brownfield Sites for renewable energy
crops) EU Life demonstration Project (LIFE05 ENV/UK/000128) in 2007. These allowed direct
comparison of the actual contaminant removal rates of three crop species: Although the biomass
of Miscanthus and short-rotation coppice Salix contained higher concentrations of certain
elements, Phalaris far out-performed these in terms of biomass, ease and economy of production
[3]. Surprisingly, despite lower contaminant concentrations in Phalaris, such was the increased
biomass yield that the total mass removed was still greater than for Miscanthus or Salix.
Likewise Pennisetum (Napier and Capiaçu grasses) shows similar promise in Brazil as the most
productive, resulting in the highest offtake of Cr from soils contaminated with this element. This
suggests that low-uptake phyto-excluding plants which can tolerate contaminated soils and grow
productively might still represent the best and most economically viable option for clean-up of
contaminated sites. Meanwhile this nature-based solution can simultaneously deliver a variety of
wider societal and environmental benefits, such as greening-up derelict land or the enhanced
storage of carbon in soil [4].
This paper will investigate this strategy by comparing biomass yield, biomass contamination and
the calculated offtake of contaminants for a wide range of generic contaminants across all of the
CERESiS trial sites. This will be used to evaluate the potential trade-offs between biomass
suitability for use and phyto-management of contaminated land.
evaluated the performance of Phalaris, Miscanthus, 2 x Saccharum and 2 x Pennisetum species
for combined energy crop production, phyto-remediation and or phyto-management of
contaminated land in Brazil and Europe. Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) is a native
perennial rhizomatous C3 species suitable for non-agricultural or marginal lands and climatic
zones such as Scotland (where C4 Miscanthus x giganteous cannot be grown effectively). Our
phytoremediation trials using Phalaris in Italy and Ukraine are the first we are aware of.
Given the wide variety of non-agricultural marginal lands [2], species selection must combine
significant biomass production on marginal land with acceptable levels of biomass contamination
for subsequent use or energy conversion. Whereas specialist hyperaccumulator plants may
achieve higher absolute concentrations of contaminants and exhibit greater bioconcentration and
translocation factors, their inherently lower biomass productivity means that both biomass,
energy yield and total mass of contaminants removed per unit area will be relatively small. In
contrast, high yielding, low contaminant uptake characteristics, such as for conventional energy
crop species, would result in greater energy production, economic viability and greater potential
for biomass utilisation.
In the UK the CERESiS project has utilised long-term field trials originally established during the
BioReGen (Biomass, Remediation, re-Generation: Reusing Brownfield Sites for renewable energy
crops) EU Life demonstration Project (LIFE05 ENV/UK/000128) in 2007. These allowed direct
comparison of the actual contaminant removal rates of three crop species: Although the biomass
of Miscanthus and short-rotation coppice Salix contained higher concentrations of certain
elements, Phalaris far out-performed these in terms of biomass, ease and economy of production
[3]. Surprisingly, despite lower contaminant concentrations in Phalaris, such was the increased
biomass yield that the total mass removed was still greater than for Miscanthus or Salix.
Likewise Pennisetum (Napier and Capiaçu grasses) shows similar promise in Brazil as the most
productive, resulting in the highest offtake of Cr from soils contaminated with this element. This
suggests that low-uptake phyto-excluding plants which can tolerate contaminated soils and grow
productively might still represent the best and most economically viable option for clean-up of
contaminated sites. Meanwhile this nature-based solution can simultaneously deliver a variety of
wider societal and environmental benefits, such as greening-up derelict land or the enhanced
storage of carbon in soil [4].
This paper will investigate this strategy by comparing biomass yield, biomass contamination and
the calculated offtake of contaminants for a wide range of generic contaminants across all of the
CERESiS trial sites. This will be used to evaluate the potential trade-offs between biomass
suitability for use and phyto-management of contaminated land.
Original language | English |
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Publication status | Published - 8 Mar 2024 |
Externally published | Yes |
Event | EGU24 General Assembly - Vienna, Austria Duration: 14 Apr 2024 → 19 Apr 2024 https://www.egu24.eu/ |
Conference
Conference | EGU24 General Assembly |
---|---|
Abbreviated title | EGU24 |
Country/Territory | Austria |
City | Vienna |
Period | 14/04/24 → 19/04/24 |
Internet address |