Remediation of vanadium contaminated soil by alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) combined with vanadium-resistant bacterial strain

• Published in: Environmental technology & innovation Vol. 20; p. 101090
• Main Authors: Gan, Chun-dan, Chen, Ting, Yang, Jin-yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.11.2020
• Subjects: Alfalfa; Bioavailability; Phytoremediation; Plant growth; Vanadium-resistant bacteria; Alfalfa; Bioavailability; Plant growth; Vanadium-resistant bacteria; Phytoremediation
• ISSN: 2352-1864; 2352-1864
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eti.2020.101090

Vanadium (V) in soils exerts toxic effects on human health. To develop a plant–microorganism combined remediation strategy for V-contaminated soil, pot experiments were conducted with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and V-resistant bacterial strain Arthrobacter sp. 5k4-8-1 in different levels of V-contaminated soil. At 500 mg kg−1 spiked V(V), alfalfa survived only in the soils inoculated with high-level bacterial strain (1010 CFU mL−1, 15 mL), indicating that strain 5k4-8-1 worked effectively on alleviating the stress of V on plant growth. Compared with non-inoculated controls, the V accumulation in alfalfa plants was increased conspicuously by inoculation of strain 5k4-8-1. After the remediation process by the combination of strain 5k4-8-1 and alfalfa, the proportion of V(V) in total V decreased in all soils, indicating that the strain may possess a mechanism of reducing V(V) to V(IV). Moreover, the strain 5k4-8-1 led to an obvious reduction of soil V bioavailability and mobility in inoculation treatments. These results provide insights into the plant–microorganism combined bioremediation of V-contaminated soil. [Display omitted] •A V-resistant strain assisted phytoremediation technology of soil was put forward.•Strain 5k4-8-1 promoted the growth of alfalfa in V-contaminated soil.•V accumulation in alfalfa was enhanced by strain 5k4-8-1.•Strain 5k4-8-1 combined with alfalfa decreased the bioavailable and mobile V in soil.