Phytoremediation and modeling of land contaminated by hydrocarbons
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abstract
A newly developed phytoremediation computer model for predicting the fate of recalcitrant hydrocarbons in soil was tested using field data from plants grown in soil contaminated with ~ 10g/kg 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), chrysene and 2,2',5,5'-tetrabromobiphenyl (PBB). Treatments were either vegetated (Johnsongrass) or fallow (control). After 90 days, there was no considerable difference between vegetated and fallow treatments. Soil moisture was significantly lower in the vegetated treatment than in the fallow treatment. No significant differences in chemical loss was seen between the treatments. About 99% of the TNT disappeared from the soil while chrysene and PBB reductions were 60-80%. Trace contaminants were found in the herbage. The decreased water potential in the soil appeared to offset the stimulatory effects of plant roots in microbial activity. The predictive model successfully simulated the disappearance of these compounds through 90 days.
