The feasibility of phytoremediation combined with bioethanol feedstock production on diesel-contaminated soil

摘要

The purpose of this study was to identify plant species capable of cleaning up diesel-contaminated soil and then to convert their biomass to bioethanol. Five selected plant species (Catalpa ovata, Lolium perenne, Pinus densiflora, Populus tomentiglandulosa, and Thuja orientalis) were cultured on an 8,000 mg/kg area of diesel-contaminated soil to assess their remediation properties. Lignocellulosic composition, concentration of reducing sugars, and saccharification yields were analyzed. In 120 days, diesel concentration in the planted soil, with fertilizer, was significantly decreased. However, no phytoremediation activity of plant species on diesel degradation was observed over the fertilization effect. Diesel contaminated soil resulted in reduced plant biomass of most tested plants. However, biomass of P. densiflora was not significantly decreased in the diesel contamination plot. The reducing sugar concentration ranged from 60.5 to 83.6 mg/g, depending on the tested plant species. The highest saccharification yield was obtained with P. densiflora.