title: Improving sustainability in the remediation of contaminated soils by the use of compost and energy valorization by Paulownia fortunei.
abstract: The plantation of fast growing trees in contaminated sites, in combination with the use of organic wastes, could partially solve a dual environmental problem: the disposal of these wastes and the improvement of soil quality in these degraded soils. This study evaluated the effects of two compost on the quantity and quality of Paulownia fortunei biomass and on syngas production by biomass gasification, produced by plants growing on trace elements contaminated soils. Compost increased biomass production to values similar to those produced in non-contaminated soils, due to the improvement in plant nutritional status. Moreover, biomass quality for gasification was increased by compost addition. Trace element accumulation in the biomass was relatively low and not related to biomass production or the gas quality obtained through gasification. Thus, P. fortunei plantations could pose an opportunity to improve the economic balance of the revegetation of contaminated soils, given that other commercial uses such as food or fodder crop production is not recommended in these soils.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Avenida Reina Mercedes 10, P.O. Box 1052, 41080 Sevilla, Spain. Electronic address: pmadejon@irnase.csic.es.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Madejón
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Avenida Reina Mercedes 10, P.O. Box 1052, 41080 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Huelva University, 21071 Huelva, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel Jesús
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Avenida Reina Mercedes 10, P.O. Box 1052, 41080 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Engracia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Madejón
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000378:metabolism*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants
keywords: Biomass; Combustion; Fast-growing plants; Gasification; Heavy metals