EDTA and HEDTA effects on Cd, Cr, and Ni uptake by Helianthus annuus

Phytoremediation has shown great potential as an alternative treatment for the remediation of heavy-metal-contaminated soils and groundwater. However, the lack of a clear understanding pertaining to metal uptake/translocation mechanisms, enhancement amendments, and external effects on phytoremediation has hindered its full-scale application. The objective of this research was to investigate the ability of synthetic chelators for enhancing the phytoremediation of cadmium-, chromium- and nickel-contaminated soil. Ethylenediaminetriacetic acid (EDTA) and N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-ethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA) were applied to the soil at various dosages to elevate metal mobility. Uptake into and translocation within Helianthus annuus was determined. It was found that EDTA at a rate of 0.5 g/kg significantly increased the shoot concentrations of Cd and Ni from 34 and 15 to 115 and 117 mg/kg, respectively. The total removal efficiency for EDTA was 59 microg/plant. HEDTA at the same application rate resulted in a total metal uptake of 42 microg/plant. These research demonstrated that chelator enhancement is plant- and metal-specific and is subjective to inhibition when multiple heavy metals are present. Results also showed that chelator toxicity reduced the plant's biomass, thereby decreasing the amount of metal accumulation.