Assessing Phytotoxicity of Heavy Metals in Remediated Soil

Copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and chromium (Cr) are pollutants that usually are accumulated in soils. Their toxicity can be decreased by applying amendments. We proposed to evaluate changes in Cu, Zn, and Cr availability, due to the application of amendments, through chemical analysis and phytotoxicity tests. The phytotoxicity test was carried out using species belonging to Sesbania genus; plant parameters were measured 48, 72, 96, and 168 hours after the start of incubation. The treatments included enriched soil, in addition to biosolid compost and triple superphosphate. Cu and Zn amounts were higher in treatments without amendments, indicating immobilization on the part of these. The amounts of Cr tended to decrease with amendments application. The amendments increased pH values and decreased EC; however, this had no impact on the results. No relationship was found among pH, EC, and plant parameters. Different behaviors were observed. S. virgata showed germination seed delay. In addition, while in S. virgata the IG increased during the assay, in S. punicea it diminished. The application of compost, fertilizer or both combined could be of interest for contaminated soils remediation. The use of chemical analysis and phytotoxicity tests allowed to estimate heavy metal availability and the effect on both Sesbania species.