Enhanced Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal by Woody Plants with Deep-Planting Technique for the Potential Environmental Management of Carcass Burial Sites

Byoung-Hwan Seo, Hyuck Soo Kim, Saranya Kuppusamy, Kye-Hoon Kim and Kwon-Rae Kim
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Byoung-Hwan Seo: Department of Agronomy and Medicinal Plant Resources, Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology, Jinju 660-758, Korea
Hyuck Soo Kim: Department of Biological Environment, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do 24341, Korea
Saranya Kuppusamy: Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea
Kye-Hoon Kim: Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Seoul, Seoul 130-743, Korea
Kwon-Rae Kim: Department of Agronomy and Medicinal Plant Resources, Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology, Jinju 660-758, Korea

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Phytoremediation is a promising technology to remediate carcass burial sites where deep soil layers are contaminated with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and other potential contaminants by leachate. The current study was conducted to examine the remedial efficiency of two different woody plants, poplar ( Populus euramericana ) and willow ( Salix alba ), by employing the deep-planting technique for the enhanced removal of N and P for the soil affected by leachate. For this, pot trials to assess N and P removal efficiency of poplar and willow in liquid manure-applied soil, and pilot-scale column experiments to evaluate the suitability of the deep-planting technique for the enhanced phytoremediation of deep soil layer were conducted. The results of this study showed that poplar and willow removed N and P from soils effectively while surviving under deep-planting conditions. Notably, compared to the surface planted roots, the roots of the deep-planted poplar and willow could transfer significant amounts of N and P leachate from the deep soil layer to the rhizosphere, from where it can be absorbed by the plants. For the first time, the use of poplar or willow plants are recommended by employing the deep-planting technique for the successful remediation of carcass burial sites.

Keywords: phytoremediation; deep-planting technique; poplar; willow; leachate; liquid manure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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