The Use of EDDS and EDTA as Potential Soil Amendments for Enhanced Phytoextraction of Heavy Metals by Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L)

摘要

@@ 1. Introduction Soil polluted by heavy metals (HM) is a worldwide problem, and food security, population health and sustainable development were threatened. Phytoextraction, the use of green plants to extract pollutants from soils, is a promising approach for cleaning up soils contaminated with heavy metals for its low cost and environmental friendly nature. Ethylene diamine tetraacetate (EDTA) has been commonly used to enhance phytoextraction efficiency. However, it is nonbiodegradable, and increased risks of leaching and posed great risks to human health. This research tested whether ethylene diamine disuccinate (EDDS), a biodegradable chelator, can replace EDTA as a new chelating agent. The cotton plant, which has large biomass, was used in the experiment as the phytoextractor.