49PHYTOREMEDIATION: FIELD DESIGN AND SITE MANAGEMENT |
S.L. Lewis1, M.K. Banks1, and A.P. Schwab2, 1Civil Engineering and 2Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 |
Phytoremediation is a promising new soil cleanup technology that uses higher plants to enhance bioremediation. Typical bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soil is often very effective in the early stages, but degradation sometimes slows to imperceptible rates as cleanup progresses. The introduction of higher plants into a bioremediation system can enhance degradation of target compounds, particularly relatively immobile recalcitrant organic molecules.
In order to maximize the degradation of contaminants, proper site design and management techniques are necessary. When establishing a field site, the soils are characterized for chemical and physical properties to evaluate the potential for growing plants and to determine if soil amendments are needed. Also, the soil is intensely sampled and chemically analyzed to determine the proper statistical design and eventual statistical analysis method (e.g., analysis of variance versus geostatistics). Plant species are selected based upon past experience and cultivars adapted to a specific location. The site must have adequate water for plant growth. Depending on the location of the site, irrigation may be required to meet plant water needs. Site management requires sampling soil and water for contaminant concentration, collecting biomass above and below ground to measure productivity as well as contaminant uptake, and providing adequate nutrients for plant growth and microbial activity. Key words: phytoremediation, irrigation, fertilization.
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