Phytoremediation of Leaded Soil

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QUESTION: Phytoremediation of Leaded Soil, 26 Apr 2003, New South Wales Australia

I am currently studying my bachelor of construction management at the university of Newcastle, for part of my current assignment i have to identify a way of remediating lead contaminated soil. The solution needs to be innovative, cost and time efficient and environmentally friendly.

I was wondering if you would be able to assist by providing some solutions to the problem.

The method in one of your newsletters on using sunflowers is very interesting. could you please include some more information on this.

Your help is greatly appreciated
Thanks,
Blake

ANSWER: 26 Apr 2003

Dear Blake,

sorry for the delay in responding but we are understaffed by volunteers,

Have you finished the lead soil remediation assignment?

We don't have any further info than at www.lead.org.au/lanv6n3/lan6n3-10.html on sunflowers but I've attached a relevant article from aec.army.mil/prod/usaec/et/restor/insitu.htm on "Phytoremediation of Lead-contaminated Soil" by US Army Environmental Center and another from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1171413/pdf/003325.pdf entitled "Tolerance to toxic metals by a gene family of phytochelatin synthases from plants and yeast".Stephan Clemens, Eugene J. Kim, Dieter Neumann, Julian I. Schroeder. The EMBO Journal(1999)18,3325-3333

But the most innovative way of remediating lead contaminated soil that I have heard of is with earthworms. I heard of this from Brett Pritchard of the Permaculture Assoc of Far West at Broken Hill NSW on ph 0880877992 but that was 7 years ago and I've heard nothing more. Brett's proposal was to use the dried carcasses and detritus from the worms as a laminated lining material in buildings requiring protection from radiation such as hospital and dental x-ray rooms.

Vermitech Co. is researching bio-accumulation of lead from sewage sludge by worms, if that is close enough to soil remediation for you. You can contact the Managing Director, Mike Lotzof in Sydney on ph 92614045. Vermitech was the winner of the 1998 Business Ideas Grants $50,000 First Prize for their research.

I'd be very interested to receive a copy of your paper and wonder if you would give permission for us to web-publish it?

Yours sincerely
Elizabeth O'Brien

Two reports from US Army. Lee, C. R., and Price, R. A. (2003). “Review of phytoreclamation and management approaches for dredged material contaminated with lead,” DOER Technical Notes Collection (ERDC TN-DOER-C29), U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS. www.wes.army.mil/el/dots/doer; http://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/elpubs/pdf/doerc29.pdf

FINAL REPORT ON THE DEMONSTRATION RESULTS FOR THE PHYTOEXTRACTION OF LEADCONTAMINATED SOIL AT THE TWIN CITIES ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT, ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA Prepared for U.S. ARMY ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland https://www.serdp-estcp.org/content/download/3754/59583/file/CU-9809-FR-01.pdf