Phytoremediation of Vineyard Copper-Contaminated Soil and Copper Mining Waste by a High Potential Bioenergy Crop (Helianthus annus L.)

Phytoremediation is a helpful technique to remediate copper-contaminated areas. The aim of this study was to evaluate sunflower phytoremediation capacity in two vineyard copper-contaminated soils (Inceptisol and Mollisol) and a copper mining waste. Nutrient uptake, copper phytoaccumulation, translocation factor (TF), and bioaccumulation factor (BCF) of sunflower were evaluated after 57days of growth. Plants grown in both the Mollisol and Inceptisol soils showed high plant height. Fresh biomass was high in the Mollisol in the shoots and roots and also demonstrated the highest values on the tolerance index (TI). The BCF after growth in all three of the copper contaminated soils as Inceptisol, Mollisol, and copper mining waste showed reduction of this index value to 0.19, 0.24, and 0.03, respectively against native soil (Mollisol under natural conditions (4.71). Sunflowers have some important characteristics such as high phytomass production, copper phytoaccumulation, and potential use to biofuel. Thus, sunflower is a potential candidate to phytoremediation of vineyard copper-contaminated soils.