title: Effect of simultaneous establishment of Sedum alfredii and Zea mays on heavy metal accumulation in plants.
abstract: Land application of biosolids to improve agricultural productivity is a cost-effective approach for resource recovery. Unfortunately, municipal biosolids often contain high concentrations of heavy metals, including zinc and copper. In this study, a co-cropping technique was investigated using a known zinc hyperaccumulator, Sedum alfredii with a grain crop, Zea mays. After a 3-mo growth trial, the results indicate that when Z. mays is co-cropped with S. alfredii, heavy metals accumulated in the grains were significantly reduced when compared to monoculture cropping. Co-cropping improved the growth of both plant species. In addition, the biosolids maintained stable pH, N-P-K concentrations, germination potential, and water content after the plant treatment, regardless of the plant species used in the trial. In conclusion, co-cropping with hyperaccumulators may be an effective approach to reducing the risk of contaminant uptake in edible crops.
authors.affiliation: Natural Resource and Environmental College, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaomei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qitang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: M Katherine
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Banks
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003300:Copper / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D018514:Plant Structures / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D031963:Sedum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc