ENIVRONMENT ASIA

Volume 11, No. 03, Month SEPTEMBER, Year 2018, Pages 117 - 132

Effect of fertilizer type on cyanide, manganese, and arsenic phytoremediation in tailings from gold mining

Rewadee Srinuykong, and Pantawat Sampanpanish

Abstract Download PDF

This study investigated the effects of using chemical and organic fertilizer on arsenic (As), manganese (Mn), and cyanide (CN) absorption in tailings from a gold-mining tailing storage facility (TSF) by growing plants in a nursery. The experimental sets were prepared and classified into two sets: the first set used 15-15-15 chemical fertilizer, and the second set used organic fertilizer (manure). Two groups of plants were grown; the first group was comprised of monocot species, which were V. nemoralis and B. bambos, and the second group was comprised of dicot species, which were A. mangium and L. leucocephala. Plants and tailing samples were collected every 30 days during the six-month experiment. Growth was examined, and the absorption and accumulated amounts of As, Mn, and CN in the plant parts were analyzed. The findings showed that the accumulated amounts of As, Mn, and CN decreased when the experimental period increased. The accumulated amounts of As, Mn, and CN in the parts of experimental plants at 180 days indicated that V. nemoralis and A. mangium fertilized with chemical fertilizer (mass balance calculation) had higher rates of As, Mn, and CN absorption than those in the sets fertilized with organic fertilizer. V. nemoralis accumulated the most As and Mn in the underground part (roots), with values of 7.07 and 17.03 mg/kg, respectively, and absorbed the most CN in the aboveground part (shoots and leaves), with a value of 6.43 mg/kg. A. mangium absorbed the most As and Mn in leaves, with values of 5.64 and 40.51 mg/kg, respectively, and absorbed the most CN in shoots, with a value of 0.24 mg/kg. Therefore, it could be concluded that A. mangium (dicot species) and V. nemoralis (monocot species) had a high ability and potential to absorb toxicity or reduce the accumulated amounts of heavy metal. Furthermore, A. mangium and V. nemoralis would be suitable for application per relevant guidelines to solve the problem of As, Mn, and CN contaminated soil in other regions.

Keywords

Fertilizer; Cyanide; Phytoremediation; Tailing; Gold mining

---