International Journal of Phytoremediation最新文献

In this study, ZnO nanoparticles with a size of 192 nm were produced via green synthesis using Diospyros kaki L. peel extract and were characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and zeta potential (ZP) analysis. The produced nanoparticles were tested for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and optimized using the Box-Behnken design. Under optimum conditions (pH: 10, dye concentration: 10 ppm and catalyst amount: 0.13 g and pH: 7, dye concentration: 10 ppm and catalyst amount: 0.6 g), 100% dye removal was achieved in 270 min and the model was validated by ANOVA. This study represents the first investigation involving the production and photocatalytic application of nanoparticles synthesized using D. kaki peel.

The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (CNPP) disaster in 1986 released significant amounts of radiocesium (¹³⁷Cs), radiostrontium (⁹⁰Sr), and radioiodine (¹³¹I) across Europe and eastern areas of Russia, leading to widespread environmental contamination that negatively impacted human health and harmed flora and fauna in a variety of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The long-term effects of the Chernobyl incident remain a persistent concern, particularly due to radiocesium which has a half-life of 30.17 years, and various environmental and human-driven events that continue to resuspend radionuclides into the environment. Nearly four decades after the incident, various remediation efforts have been implemented, including physical, chemical, and biological approaches. However, no method has proven to be completely effective, and the significant remaining contamination necessitates the implementation of new strategies for remediation. Some of the most promising remediation techniques fall under the science of bioremediation; the use of bacteria, algae, fungi, and plants to remove contaminants from the environment. Phytoremediation is promising due to its environmentally friendly nature and its cost. This review article examines the environmental impacts of the Chernobyl fallout, evaluates remediation efforts over the past four decades, and explores emerging phytoremediation strategies that could enhance radionuclide removal from contaminated terrestrial and aquatic environments.

The green synthesis method is a significant approach that offers several advantages, including simplicity, rapidity, and cost-effectiveness in the synthesis of nanoparticles. Iron nanoparticles were synthesized in this work using waste banana peel extract as a capping and reducing agent. The produced nanoparticles were then subjected to a number of characterization procedures, such as Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), zeta potential analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) absorption spectroscopy, field scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effect of the nanoparticles on dye elimination was next investigated separately and with the aid of ultrasound irridation. To ascertain the efficacy of the nanoparticles, their performance was compared with that of the classical Fenton process. The results showed that 99.7% of the dye was removed within 60 min with a 10 mg/L iron concentration, 10 mg/L hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) concentration, and 53 kHz ultrasound radiation. In FeNPs reuse, 91% efficiency was achieved in the 2nd cycle, 56% in the 3rd cycle and 51.37% in the 4th cycle.

Melatonin (MT) is a natural, multifunctional molecule with amphiphilic properties, enabling it to cross cellular membranes rapidly, and it also contributes to plant resistance against abiotic stresses. However, the possible complex mechanisms by which MT mitigates salt toxicity and oxidative damage in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.) remain unclear. To fill this gap and clarify the pathway to salt stress resistance, the present study investigated the effects of exogenous 50 μM MT on growth, physiological, biochemical, and phyto-hormonal responses of cauliflower seedlings subjected to 200 mM NaCl-induced salinity stress. Our results revealed that salinity stress triggered a significant reduction in leaf and root biomass, chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments, gas exchange parameters, and K⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions indicators, while Na⁺ levels and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were significantly elevated, suggesting that cauliflower plants were adversely affected by salt-induced oxidative stress. However, exogenous MT application alleviated the reductions in growth, biochemical parameters, and physiological functions, promoting melatonin content and reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and lipid peroxidation by enhancing photosynthetic efficiency and promoting the accumulation of osmoprotectants under salt stress. Moreover, MT suppressed salt-induced oxidative stress by declining oxidative indicators via enhancing antioxidants activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzymes as well as significantly increasing abscisic acid (ABA) levels in the leaves of cauliflower plants under saline stress. In conclusion, we propose that exogenous MT application significantly enhances the physiological and biochemical profiles of cauliflower plants by improving organic osmolytes and mitigating salt-induced oxidative stress. Likewise, the correlation analysis presented strong evidence and confirms a direct contribution of MT+NAA in the growth, physio-biochemical, and phyto-hormonal traits under severe saline stress. This finding suggests that exogenous melatonin application could offer valuable strategies for cauliflower cultivation in saline environments.

This study investigated the regulatory mechanism of exogenous Jasmonic acid (JA) in detoxifying Cu stress in guinea grass (Panicum maximum). Seedlings were treated with Cu (300 µM), JA (10 µM), and their combinations via Hoagland solution in controlled growth chambers for 30 days. The results indicated that Cu stress significantly reduced superoxide dismutase (-51.2%) and peroxidase (-38.0%), chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), and led to decreases in leaf length, width, plant height, and biomass (-49.7%). Conversely, exogenous JA effectively mitigated the adverse effects of Cu stress by reducing membrane damage, and increasing chlorophyll, Pn (+107%), and antioxidant enzymes (p < 0.05), and biomass (+84.7%), modifying associated metabolites. A total of 63 metabolites with differential accumulations were identified when exposed to JA, Cu, or their combination, mainly including amino acids, organic acids, and carbohydrates. Excessive Cu significantly reduced the levels of capric acid, salicylic acid, and glucosaminic acid, while increasing malic acid and serine content, which are primarily involved in regulating the citrate cycle and alanine-aspartate and glutamate metabolism. Overall, these findings demonstrates that guinea grass alleviates Cu toxicity by enhancing photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant enzyme activity, and modifying associated metabolites and pathways under JA, thereby exhibiting potential for phytoremediation of Cu stress.

This study aimed to measure the bioremediation potential of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in enhancing maize growth under contaminated conditions. The irrigation water used was effluent from tube well and Hitech Industries Taxila (HIT), both containing Fe and Mn levels exceeding permissible limits. Tap water irrigation served as the control. Notably, the Cr levels in HIT effluent water were 280% higher than the permissible limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO 2011). The HIT water showed 64.11%, 200%, and 24% higher content of Ca, K, and Na as compared to control. Seeds were soaked for 2h prior to sowing in 71-h old Pseudomonas stutzeri (P. stutzeri) (Gene bank accession no. KX574858) culture, at concentration of 10⁸ cells/mL. The toxic effects of chromium (Cr) leads to a reduction in photosynthetic activity. The results showed that the combined treatment of AgNPs and PGPR increased flavonoid, phenolic, and carotenoid activities by 78%, 167%, and 55%, respectively, in tube well-irrigated plants. Additionally, PGPR and AgNPs effectively reduced oxidative stress by enhancing the activities of enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and peroxidase (POD) in maize irrigated with tube well water. The study demonstrates the potential of AgNPs and PGPR in mitigating the adverse effects of heavy metal (HM) toxicity on maize plants. The findings suggest that maize plants irrigated with high Cr-contaminated water exhibited enhanced metal tolerance when treated with PGPR. The key objective of this study was to explore the individual effects of P. stutzeri and AgNPs on the stabilization of Mn, Fe, and Cr, and their impact on maize physiological responses. This study also evaluated the role of AgNPs and P. stutzeri in enhancing the availability and uptake of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) macronutrients in rhizospheric soil irrigated with HM-contaminated water.

Phytoremediation is an environmentally friendly and low-cost technology for remediating petroleum contaminated soils. This review analyzed the publications indexed in the Scopus database between 2015 and 2025. The number of publications and citations related to the phytoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons has increased rapidly, presumably due to the growing environmental pollution of petrochemicals worldwide. China emerged as the most productive country, followed by India and the United States, respectively. The majority of publications were found in Environmental Science and Pollution Research, International Journal of Phytoremediation, Chemosphere, Science of the Total Environment, and Journal of Hazardous Materials. The top five keywords in this field were bioremediation, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, petroleum hydrocarbons, rhizoremediation, and heavy metals, excluding phytoremediation. The keyword analysis showed a focus on co-contaminated soil, plant-microbial interaction, amendment-assisted phytoremediation, and phytotoxicity. This bibliometric review provides valuable insights for future directions related to the phytoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons.

This study explores the transformation of oil condensate waste (OCW) into activated carbons (ACs) as an efficient solution for managing condensate waste within palm oil mill, while providing a sustainable alternative for dye removal from wastewater. OCW was chemically activated using sulfuric acid (CH samples) and zinc chloride (CZ samples), followed by comprehensive characterization of their elemental composition, surface chemistry, and textural properties. The resulting activated carbons exhibited specific surface areas ranging from 427.85 to 493.42 m²/g with the maximum adsorption capacities of 230.5 mg/g. Adsorption performance was evaluated using isotherm and kinetic models, with the pseudo-second-order model providing the best fit, indicative of a chemisorption mechanism. Thermodynamic parameters further revealed that the adsorption process was both endothermic and spontaneous in nature. The results demonstrate the potential of activated carbons derived from OCW as efficient and sustainable adsorbents for wastewater treatment applications.

Industrial wastewater pollution is an environmental problem that affects ecosystems and communities. Phycoremediation offers an eco-friendly alternative for contaminant removal. This study evaluated the efficiency of Tetradesmus obliquus (To), Chlorella sorokiniana (Cs), and Chlorella vulgaris (Cv) in treating dairy wastewater. Microalgae were cultivated in photobioreactors at four dilution rates (0.20, 0.25, 0.30, and 0.35d^-1). The initial wastewater contained pH 7.79 ± 0.50, total nitrogen (TN) 188 ± 0.50 mg L^-1, total phosphorus (TP) 20.45 ± 0.17 mg L^-1, chemical oxygen demand (COD) 8400 ± 52mgO₂L^-1, Mn 2.02mgL^-1, Al 217.43mgL^-1, Cr 0.04μgL^-1, total coliforms (TC) 3800CFUmL^-1, and Escherichia coli (EC) 100CFUmL^-1. All microalgae showed high removal efficiency, with 0.20d^-1 as the optimal rate. After treatment, To0.20 reduce TN 97.3 ± 0.71mgL^-1, TP 2.39 ± 0.16mgL^-1, COD 570 ± 2mgO₂L^-1, Mn 0.06 ± 0.00mgL^-1, Al 0.07 ± 0.00mgL^-1, Cr 0.02 ± 0.00µgL^-1, TC and EC not detected. Cs0.2, it was TN 4.94 ± 0.35mgL^-1, TP 6.59 ± 0.23mgL^-1, COD 432 ± 13mgO₂L^-1, Mn 0.06 ± 0.00mgL^-1, Al 0.03 ± 0.01mgL^-1, TC 4 ± 0CFU mL^-1, Cr and EC not detected and Cv0.2, it was TN 5.15 ± 0.89mgL^-1, TP 5.77 ± 0.05mgL^-1, COD 450 ± 14mgO₂L^-1, Mn 0.06 ± 0.00mgL^-1, Al, Cr, TC and EC not detected. The best treatment was Cv0.20, which eliminated 99% TN, 72% TP, 95% COD, and 100% TC and EC. This study provides new insights into using different microalgae and dilution rates to produce remediated effluent meeting irrigation standards.

The high content of toxic metals (TMs) in tannery solid waste (TSW) necessitates a synergistic approach for its remediation. The research focused on the derivation of TSW biochar and its autochthonous microbes as an integrated approach for phytoextraction of TMs. For this, TSW autochthonous strains of Bacillus and Trichoderma viride were used alone and in combination with TSW biochar treatments of 2.5, 5, and 10% (w/w), namely; BC1, BC2, BC3. Surface analyses of TSW biochar through SEM and FTIR demonstrated the agglomeration and deposition of inorganic moieties and exchangeable functional sites on the biochar surface. The combined treatment of TSW biochar along with Bacillus and T. viride revealed significantly improved TMs uptake (Cr 540.01 mg kg^-1 > Cd 380.44 mg kg^-1 > Pb 224.44 mg kg^-1) and plant biomass at 10% TSW biochar amendment. However, TMs content was found below the limit of detection (LOD) in seeds of sunflower. Biochemical responses such as total soluble protein content (73.61%), total chlorophyll content (12.69%), catalase (80.66%), and superoxide dismutase (82.31%) were improved under treatment assisted with microbial inoculum as compared to control. This integrated method promotes environmental sustainability and agricultural production by addressing the challenges associated with handling of TSW.