RT Journal Article
T1 Unveiling a Technosol-based remediation approach for enhancing plant growth in an iron-rich acidic mine soil from the Rio Tinto Mars analog site
A1 Fernández Caliani, Juan Carlos
A1 Fernández Landero, Sandra
A1 Giráldez Díaz, Inmaculada
A1 Hidalgo Fernández, Pablo José
A1 Morales Carrillo de Albornoz, Emilio
AB This paper explores the potential of Technosols made from non-hazardous industrial wastes as a sustainable solution for highly acidic iron-rich soils at the Rio Tinto mining site (Spain), a terrestrial Mars analog. These mine soils exhibit extreme acidity (pHH2O = 2.1–3.0), low nutrient availability (non-acid cation saturation < 20 %), and high levels of Pb (3420 mg kg−1), Cu (504 mg kg−1), Zn (415 mg kg−1), and As (319 mg kg−1), hindering plant growth and ecosystem restoration. To address these challenges, the study systematically analyzed selected waste materials, formulated them into Technosols, and conducted a four-month pot trial to evaluate the growth of Brassica juncea under greenhouse conditions. Technosols were tailored by adding varying weight percentages of waste amendments into the mine Technosol, specifically 10 %, 25 %, and 50 %. The waste amendments comprised a blend of organic waste (water clarification sludge, WCS) and inorganic wastes (white steel slag, WSS; and furnace iron slag, FIS). The formulations included: (T0) exclusively mine Technosol (control); (T1) 60 % WCS + 40 % WSS; (T2) 60 % WCS + 40 % FIS; and (T3) 50 % WCS + 16.66 % WSS + 33.33 % FIS. The analyses covered leachate quality, soil pore water chemistry, and plant response (germination and survival rates, plant height, and leaf number). Results revealed a significant reduction in leachable contaminant concentrations, with Pb (26.16 mg kg−1), Zn (4.94 mg kg−1), and Cu (2.29 mg kg−1) dropping to negligible levels and shifting towards less toxic species. These changes improved soil conditions, promoting seed germination and seedling growth. Among the formulations tested, Technosol T1 showed promise in overcoming mine soil limitations, enhancing plant adaptation, buffering against acidification, and stabilizing contaminants through precipitation and adsorption mechanisms. The paper stresses the importance of tailoring waste amendments to specific soil conditions, and highlights the broader implications of the Technosol approach, such as waste valorization, soil stabilization, and insights for Brassica juncea growth in extreme environments, including Martian soil simulants.
PB Elsevier
SN 0048-9697
SN 1879-1026 (electrónico)
YR 2024
FD 2024
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10272/23341
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10272/23341
LA eng
NO Fernández-Caliani, J. C., Fernández-Landero, S., Giráldez, M. I., Hidalgo, P. J., & Morales, E. (2024). Unveiling a Technosol-based remediation approach for enhancing plant growth in an iron-rich acidic mine soil from the Rio Tinto Mars analog site. In Science of The Total Environment (Vol. 922, p. 171217). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171217
NO This research received financial support from the Regional Government of Andalusia (Spain) and the European Regional Development Fund Andalusia 2014–2020 under Project P-18-TP-3503, in partnership with DSM Soluciones Medioambientales. It was also funded by EU project 101071300 Sustainable Horizons (HORIZON). We express our gratitude to Nereida Pascual, Lourdes Vales, and Alicia Rodríguez (DSM, Centro Ambiental de Nerva) for their invaluable assistance in collecting waste samples and providing essential information about the waste materials. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Huelva / CBUA.
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
RD 31 may 2026