Phytoextraction potential of Manihot esculenta Crantz. (Cassava) grown in mercury and gold containing biosolids and mine tailings

15^th Asia-Pacific Biotechnology Congress

July 20-22, 2017 Melbourne, Australia

Hannah Joy P Alcantara, Augustine I Doronila and Spas D Kolev

University of Melbourne, Australia
University of the Philippines Diliman, Philippines

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Bioprocess Biotech

Abstract :

The potential of Manihot esculenta Crantz. (Cassava) to phytoextract Hg and Au from Hg- and Au-containing biosolids and mine tailings was investigated. Removal of Hg by a hyper-accumulating plant species offers new options to clean up Hg-contaminated sites and at the same time harvest trace amounts of Au. Pre-rooted cassava cuttings with 5-7 nodes were grown in different combinations of biosolids-amended mine tailings to evaluate the best combination that will support optimum plant growth. Cassava was established to grow best in the 75% biosolids and 25% mine tailings combination. Plant cuttings were also grown in hydroponics solutions amended with Hg and/or Au to determine root uptake of Hg and Au. Metals uptake was found to be greatest in the fibrous roots, accumulating up to 12.59 g kg-1 Hg and 18.99 mg kg-1 Au. Given its ease in cultivation and harvest as well as the high accumulation of Hg and Au in the roots, cassava is a suitable candidate for Hg remediation and Au recovery from biosolids and mine tailings containing these metals.

Biography :

Email: h.alcantara@student.unimelb.edu.au