Chelate Assisted Phytoremediation
Supervisor:
Dr Gary Owens, Future Fellow – Mawson Institute, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide SA 5001, Australia
Phone: +61 8 8302 5043. Email: gary.owens@unisa.edu.au
Area: Environmental Science
Suitable for: PhD and Masters
Abstract:
Chelates are metal binding compounds suspected of having the ability to increase metal
uptake by plants. This ability may prove useful in the process called phytoremediation, where
plants are used to remove metal pollutants from contaminated soils. The amount of enhanced
metal uptake varies with both plant type and the type of chelate applied. NTA and EDTA are
two chelates suspected of significantly enhancing metal uptake. However, while both of these
compounds are stable for extended periods in the laboratory there lifetime under
environmental conditions is not known with any certainty. This knowledge is vital for
determining the application rates for chelates necessary to maintain high phytoremediation
efficiencies. This project will determine the lifetimes of chelates in polluted metal soils and the
speciation of the chelates and their metal complexes will simultaneously be determined using
LC-MS.
Related references:
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Alkorta, J. Herna´ ndez-Allica, J.M. Becerril, I. Amezaga, I. Albizu, M. Onaindia and C. Garbisu (2004)
Chelate-enhanced phytoremediation of soils polluted with heavy metals, Reviews in Environmental
Science and Bio/Technology, 3, 55-70.
E. Lesage, E. Meers, P. Vervaeke, S. Lamsal, M. Hopgood, F. M. G. Tack and M. G. Verloo (2005) Enhanced
phtoextraction: II Effect of EDTA and citric acid on heavy metal uptake by helianthus annuus from a
calcareous soil, International Journal of Phytoremediation, 7, 143–152.
M.N.V. Prasad, Helena Freitas, Stefan Fraenzle, Simone Wuenschmann and Bernd Markert (2010)
Knowledge explosion in phytotechnologies for environmental solutions, Environmental Pollution, 158, 18–
23.
About Adelaide:
Adelaide is the capital of South Australia and offers a very high standard of living (top 6 in the
world according to “The Economist”), with great climate, food, wine, beautiful unspoiled
nature and beach environments, in an inexpensive setting.
The Mawson Institute (MI) has recently been established at the University of South Australia,
with strong support from the South Australian Government to research new manufacturing
technologies. Manufacturing is an important and substantial part of South Australia’s
economic base. The MI promotes a strategy based upon strong basic and applied research
that encourages scientific and technological innovation within the manufacturing sector.
Fundamental to this is the Institute’s multidisciplinary approach, building research teams in
concentrations that encompass a diverse range of disciplines, and collaboration with partners
from both academia and industry.
The institute is based in two new state-of-the-art buildings with outstanding research facilities
(see photo of the MM building).
For more information on this project please contact the supervisor.