title: Phytoextraction of arsenic-contaminated soil with Pteris vittata in Henan Province, China: comprehensive evaluation of remediation efficiency correcting for atmospheric depositions.
abstract: Research on the appropriate method for evaluating phytoremediation efficiency is limited. A 2-year field experiment was conducted to investigate phytoremediation efficiency using the hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata on an arsenic (As)-contaminated site. The remediation efficiency was evaluated through the removal rate of As in soils and extraction rate of heavy metals in plants. After 2 years of remediation, the concentration of total As in soils decreased from 16.27 mg kg-1in 2012 to 14.58 mg kg-1in 2014. The total remediation efficiency of As was 10.39% in terms of the removal rate of heavy metals calculated for soils, whereas the remediation efficiency calculated from As uptake by P. vittata was 16.09%. Such a discrepancy aroused further consideration on the potential input of As. A large amount of As was brought in by atmospheric emissions, which possibly biased the calculation of remediation efficiency. In fact, considering also the atmospheric depositions of As, the corrected removal rate of As from soil was 16.57%. Therefore, the results of this work suggest that (i) when evaluating the phytoextraction efficiency, the whole input and output cycle of the element of interest in the targeted ecosystem must be considered, and (ii) P. vittata has the potential to be used to remediate As-contaminated soils in Henan Province, China.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. wanxm.06s@igsnrr.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
authors.forename: Guanghui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
authors.forename: Junxing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
authors.forename: Tongbin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002681:China; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D032495:Pteris / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Arsenic; Atmospheric depositions; Heavy metal contamination; Phytoextraction; Pteris vittata; Remediation efficiency