Department of Plant Sciences

The application of synthetic aminopolycarboxylic acids to soil increases metal solubility and therefore enhances phytoextraction. However, synthetic chelators barely degrade in soil and threat the human and animal health owing to metal leaching. The aim of this study is to assess the use of a biodegradable (NTA) and a non-degradable chelant (EDTA) for Pb phytoextraction from a soil contaminated by battery-casing disposal. Each synthetic chelant was applied to soil pots cultivated with maize plants at the rates 0, 2, 5, 10, and 20 mmol kg-1. The 5 mmol kg-1 dose of EDTA increased to 1.1% the Pb concentration in maize shoots. The results showed that phytoremediating the site using 5 mmol kg-1 NTA could be feasible with no environmental effects due to Pb leaching over a 5-year period.