THE INTENSITY OF THE HEAVY METALS BY TOPINAMBUR IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE OIL-POLLUTED AREAS

This study was aimed to investigate the ability of Jerusalem artichokes (Helianthus tuberous L.) to absorb heavy metals in an oil-contaminated ecosystem. The research was carried out in a territory of the oil and gas pipeline at the village of Bytkiv of Nadvirna district. Jerusalem artichokes were used for this study and planted on an area of 25 m2. The area of the experimental field in the village of Maidan of Tysmenytsia district (control option № 1). A total of eight treatments of the experiment with different rates of sewage sludge. It is established that the concentration of heavy metals in oil-contaminated soil and Jerusalem artichoke plants increases with increasing the amount of fertilizers in the soil. The maximum content of metals in the tested soils, green mass and Jerusalem artichoke roots was observed mainly in the variant of sewage sludge application at the rate of 40 t/ha and fertilizer N10P14K58.The green mass and roots of Jerusalem artichoke exhibited the highest content of heavy metals absorption the transition coefficients of metals in the system "roots - green mass" increase in the following : Pb → Co → Ni → Cd. The coefficients of biological absorption of metals by Jerusalem artichoke increase in a number of elements: Co → Ni → Ld → Ca. Where as The coefficients of biological accumulation of heavy metals with Jerusalem artichoke increase in a number of elements following series : L → Co → Ni → Ca. It is recommended to use Jerusalem artichoke as a phytoremediator of man-made areas.

Structural and Predicted Functional Diversities of Bacterial Microbiome in Response to Sewage Sludge Amendment in Coastal Mudflat Soil

The study investigated the influence of sewage sludge application at rates of 0 (CK), 30 (ST), 75 (MT), and 150 (HT) t ha−1 to mudflats on bacterial community diversity and predicted functions using amplicon-based sequencing. Soils under sewage sludge treatments, especially the HT treatment, exhibited lower pH, salinity and higher nutrient contents (C, N, and P). Moreover, restructured bacterial communities with significantly higher diversities and distinct core and unique microbiomes were observed in all sewage sludge-amended soils as compared to the control. Specifically, core bacterial families, such as Hyphomicrobiaceae, Cytophagaceae, Pirellulaceae Microbacteriaceae, and Phyllobacteriaceae, were significantly enriched in sewage sludge-amended soils. In addition, sewage sludge amendment significantly improved predicted functional diversities of core microbiomes, with significantly higher accumulative relative abundances of functions related to carbon and nitrogen cycling processes compared to the unamended treatment. Correlation analyses showed that modified soil physicochemical properties were conducive for the improvement of diversities of bacterial communities and predicted functionalities. These outcomes demonstrated that sewage sludge amendment not only alleviated saline–sodic and nutrient deficiency conditions, but also restructured bacterial communities with higher diversities and versatile functions, which may be particularly important for the fertility formation and development of mudflat soils.

Heavy Metals Behavior in Soil/Plant System after Sewage Sludge Application

One of the possibilities of removing heavy metals (HMs) from soil is the use of phytoremediation techniques supported with biosolids, which also allow for their disposal. Therefore, the objective of the research was the determination of the sewage sludge suitability after its application to urban soil in order to increase the phytoremediation efficiency of contaminated soil. A field experiment was established on lawns in Białystok (Poland) in two locations with different traffic. The research plots were fertilized with sludge in doses of 14.5 t DM/ha and 29 t DM/ha. A mixture of lawn grasses was sown on the prepared plots. During two years of experiment soil/plant samples were collected, and pH, organic matter, dehydrogenase and catalase activity (soil), the total content of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Hg (soil/plant), and their fractions (soil) were determined. The HMs in soil were present mainly in residual and reducible fractions. Zn had the highest share in acid-soluble fractions (17–45%). The efficiency of urban soil phytoremediation was determined by the calculation of bioconcentration (BCF) and translocation (TF) factors. The highest values for BCF and TF were obtained for Mo (1.97 and 1.99, respectively). In the presented study, sludge amendment caused an immobilization of heavy metals.