Chromium phytoextraction using Phyllostachys pubescens (Moso Bamboo)

In this study, a bamboo species, the Phyllostachys pubescens - Moso Bamboo (MB) -, was selected for its heavy metals accumulation and translocation potential to restore Chromium (Cr)-contaminated soil. In order to evaluate the MB Chromium growth, tolerance and the potential for phytoremediation using MB to restore Cr-contaminated soil, pot experiments were carried out in simulated Mediterranean conditions in a laboratory, in a controlled environment, at a temperature of 20 °C. The results showed that MB growth rate was 4.28 cm/week on average, with an irrigation flow of 1.644 mm/d. MB tolerance was tested over a 12-week irrigation period with the addition of Cr-contaminated water. Cr removal from soil was 43% starting from a Cr content of approx. 200 mg/kg dry weight (dw) and the quantity of Cr per gram of root and rhizome was equal to 1.31 mg/g dw, while the quantity of Cr per gram of stem and leaves was equal to 0.86 mg/g dw, after 12 weeks. Pot experiments confirm that phytoremediation using plants such as MB provides an alternative approach for handling Cr-contaminated soil.