Efficacy of Lime, Biosolids, and Mycorrhiza for the Phytostabilization of Sulfidic Copper Tailings in Chile: a Greenhouse Experiment
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International Journal of Phytoremediation ISSN: 1522-6514 (Print) 1549-7879 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/bijp20 Efficacy of Lime, Biosolids, and Mycorrhiza for the Phytostabilization of Sulfidic Copper Tailings in Chile: A Greenhouse Experiment César Verdugo , Pablo Sánchez , Claudia Santibáñez , Paola Urrestarazu , Elena Bustamante , Yasna Silva , Denis Gourdon & Rosanna Ginocchio To cite this article: César Verdugo , Pablo Sánchez , Claudia Santibáñez , Paola Urrestarazu , Elena Bustamante , Yasna Silva , Denis Gourdon & Rosanna Ginocchio (2010) Efficacy of Lime, Biosolids, and Mycorrhiza for the Phytostabilization of Sulfidic Copper Tailings in Chile: A Greenhouse Experiment, International Journal of Phytoremediation, 13:2, 107-125, DOI: 10.1080/15226510903535056 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15226510903535056 Published online: 13 Aug 2010. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 186 View related articles Citing articles: 9 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=bijp20 Download by: [Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile] Date: 11 January 2017, At: 08:14 International Journal of Phytoremediation, 13:107–125, 2011 Copyright C Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1522-6514 print / 1549-7879 online DOI: 10.1080/15226510903535056 EFFICACY OF LIME, BIOSOLIDS, AND MYCORRHIZA FOR THE PHYTOSTABILIZATION OF SULFIDIC COPPER TAILINGS IN CHILE: A GREENHOUSE EXPERIMENT Cesar´ Verdugo,1 Pablo Sanchez,´ 1 Claudia Santiba´nez,˜ 1 Paola Urrestarazu,1 Elena Bustamante,1 Yasna Silva,1 Denis Gourdon,1 and Rosanna Ginocchio1,2 1Centro de Investigacion´ Minera y Metalurgica,´ CIMM, Vitacura, Santiago, Chile 2Facultad de Agronom´ıa e Ingenier´ıa Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Catolica´ de Chile, Santiago, Chile Inadequate abandonment of copper mine tailings under semiarid Mediterranean climate type conditions has posed important environmental risks in Chile due to wind and rain erosion. There are cost-effective technologies for tailings stabilization such as phytostabi- lization. However, this technology has not been used in Chile yet. This study evaluated in a greenhouse assay the efficacy of biosolids, lime, and a commercial mycorrhiza to improve adverse conditions of oxidized Cu mine tailings for adequate establishment and grow of Lolium perenne L. var nui. Chemical characterization of experimental substrates and pore water samples were performed; plant density, biomass production, chlorophyll content, and metal content in shoots was evaluated in rye grass plants after an eight-week growth pe- riod. Results showed that neutralization of tailings and superficial application of biosolids increased both aerial biomass production and chlorophyll content of rye grass. Increased Cu solubilization and translocation to shoots occurred after biosolids application (mixed), particularly on unlimed tailings, due to formation of soluble organometallic complexes with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) which can be readily absorbed by plant roots. Positive effects of mycorrhizal inoculation on rye grass growth were restricted to treatments with superficial application of biosolids, probably due to Cu toxicity effects on commercial mycorrhiza used (Glomulus intraradices). KEY WORDS: phytotoxicity, copper, rye grass, bioavailability, biosolids INTRODUCTION Large-scale extraction and concentration of porphyry copper deposits has been one of the main economic activities in Chile since the XIX Century (Toledo and Zapater, 1989). This long history of Cu mine exploitation, besides the sustained reduction of metal concentration in ores, has resulted in accumulation of huge amounts of solid wastes (Lagos, 1994; CONAMA, 2000; Lagos and And´ıa, 2000). In the case of Cu sulfide ores, the economically interesting Cu sulfides are extracted by flotation process whereas pyrite and Address correspondence to Rosanna Ginocchio, Centro de Investigacion´ Minera y Metalurgica,´ CIMM, Av. Parque Antonio Rabat 6500, Vitacura, Santiago, Chile. E-mail: [email protected] 107 108 C. VERDUGO ET AL. other gangue minerals are depressed from flotation and discarded (Dold and Fontbote,´ 2001). This waste (tailings) represents 80–90% of total discarded solids throughout the pyrometallurgic process. Copper tailings are a water solution of 30–35% solids (<2 mm in diameter) having elevated concentrations of metals (i.e. Cu, Zn, Pb, Fe, and Mo) and metalloids (i.e., As Benkhe, 1973; Marshall, 1982; Bradshaw, 1983; Gutierrez´ and Hoffmann, 1991) that are generally characterized as toxic, radioactive and/or hazardous (Petrisor et al., 2004), particularly after inadequate disposition and management (Bradshaw, 1983; Lagos, 1994; McCall et al., 1995; Badilla-Ohlbaum et al., 2001; Ginocchio et al., 2006). In the past, Cu tailings were directly washed out into rivers and ravines, therefore reducing soil and surface water quality and affecting intertidal environments of north-central Chile (Castilla and Nealler, 1978; Correa et al., 1999; Ram´ırez et al., 2005). After severe environmental damages, mining regulations established by the Chilean Ministry of Mines in the late 1970s required deposition on tailings storage facilities (TSF), but no closure management was requested by law after abandonment. Abandonment of TSF’s in north-central Chile under Mediterranean semi-arid climate conditions leads to high water evaporation and tailings desiccation in few years (Dold and Fontbote,´ 2001). Without proper closure management, this fine, homogenous and non-cohesive metal-rich particulate matter material has been left exposed to physical and chemical environmental forces (Bradshaw, 1983; Ginocchio, 2000). Erosion by wind and heavy rains due to El Nino˜ phenomenon, beside dam-wall failure after strong earthquakes, has released tailings into surrounding areas, posing risks to human health, agricultural activities and wildlife (SERNAGEOMIN, 1989; Lagos, 1994; CONAMA, 2000; Lagos and And´ıa, 2000; Badilla-Ohlbaum et al., 2001). Furthermore, depending on their mineralogy (i.e. content of metal sulfides such as pyrite, FeS2) and geographic location (i.e. amount of precipitation), acid drainage and lixiviation of metals may also occur from sulfidic tailings (Dold and Fontbote,´ 2001; Evangelou, 2001) with some consequent environmental impacts on surface and ground waters, such as salinization, metal/metalloid enrichment and acidification (Gray, 1998; Dinelli et al., 2001). It is generally accepted that metal sulfide oxidation, and in particular of pyrite, is the main reason for the formation of sulfuric acid and solubilization of metals, a phenomenon known as acid mine drainage (AMD; Evangelou, 2001). Closure regulations for TSF were finally established by the Chilean government in 2002 and therefore a need for adequate and cost-effective stabilization techniques is increasing in the country. Several technologies for surface stabilization of mine tailings are internationally available, such as cementation, vitrification, and coverage of tailings with water or geomembranes, which have been effectively used in developed countries (Salt et al., 1995; Masscheleyn et al., 1996; Vangronsveld and Cunningham, 1998; Glass, 1999; Vigneault et al., 2007). However, these methods are expensive and sometimes inappropriate due to their ongoing maintenance requirements or climatic conditions (Van der Lelie et al., 2001). Therefore, cheaper and environmentally friendly methods have been developed, such as phytostabilization (Vangronsveld and Cunningham, 1998; Flynn et al., 2002; Petrisor et al., 2004). Phytostabilization has been reported to be an effective in situ, inexpensive, aesthetically pleasing, environmentally friendly, and socially accepted green technology to decrease land erosion and spreading of metals from mining areas (Salt et al., 1995). Copper tailings are usually a compacted substrate with bad drainage, low content in macronutrients and organic matter, high-metal/metalloid contents and scarce microbial communities (Vangronsveld et al., 1995; Zhu et al., 1999, Petrisor et al., 2004, De la Iglesia PHYTOSTABILIZATION OF CU-TAILINGS WITH LIME, BIOSOLIDS, AND MYCORRHIZA 109 et al., 2006; Ginocchio et al., 2006). Therefore, establishment of an adequate plant cover over dry TSF through phytostabilization requires the improvement of physical, microbio- logical, and chemical characteristics of tailings. In developed countries, biosolids and other organic wastes and by-products generated by cellulose producing plants or agricultural activities have been effectively used as amendments of metal polluted soils and hard-rock mine wastes (i.e., Sabey et al., 1975; Sopper, 1993; Haering et al., 2000; Brown et al., 2003). However, chemical characteristics of organic materials, such as biosolids, may greatly vary in different regions of the world, particularly in its nitrogen and metal contents; further- more, chemical evolution of biosolids on tailings under different climate and management conditions may also differ. Therefore, experiences gained in other countries (i.e. temperate) may not be directly applied to semiarid Mediterranean areas of north-central Chile. Besides of this, use of biosolids on copper sulfidic tailings have not been deeply studied at least in terms of its affects on substrate metal speciation and on metal uptake and toxicity to plants. This study evaluates the efficacy of biosolids produced in north-central Chile to improve physical and chemical limiting conditions