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«IZVESTIYA IRKUTSKOGO GOSUDARSTVENNOGO UNIVERSITETA». SERIYA «BIOLOGIYA. ECOLOGIYA»
«THE BULLETIN OF IRKUTSK STATE UNIVERSITY». SERIES «BIOLOGY. ECOLOGY»
ISSN 2073-3372 (Print)

List of issues > Series «Biology. Ecology». 2025. Vol 51

Phytoremediation of Man-Made Soils Heavily Contaminated with Arsenic and Heavy Metals

Author(s)

V. I. Voronin1, V. A. Oskolkov2, S. G. Shvetsov1,2 

1 Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry SB RAS, Irkutsk, Russian Federation 

2 Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk, Russian Federation

Abstract
The problem of restoring the fertility of soils contaminated with heavy metals (HM) can be solved with the help of phytoremediation, since cleaning soils from HM using engineering equipment is usually ineffective, economically unprofitable and often technically impossible. The way out in this situation may be the use of plants that are able to selectively accumulate metals, especially heavy metals. To do this, it is necessary to select plants of special selection, the efficiency of absorption of toxicants in which reaches significant values, as well as soil improvement with the help of fertilizers and humates. In the city of Svirsk (Irkutsk Region), where the Angarsk Metallurgical Plant for the production of arsenic operated from 1934 to 1958, there is a significant excess of its content in the soil and ground in most of the city and adjacent garden plots. Pollution spreads up to the shore of the Bratsk reservoir for a distance of more than nine kilometers. We have tested two types of plants, concentrators of arsenic and heavy metals. Two species of plants from different families were identified: Sakhalin buckwheat (Polygonaceae) and Jerusalem artichoke (Asteraceae). These plants have successfully passed the entire cycle of vegetative development from spring to autumn, have increased significant biomass and have shown high accumulating abilities against arsenic. The efficiency of absorption of toxicants in plants was increased with the help of fertilizers and humates. During one growing season, Sakhalin buckwheat plants extracted 15% of the arsenic originally contained in the soil, and Jerusalem artichoke plants – 35%. Based on the results of the study, it is proposed; Detoxification of soils and territories by phytoremediation methods should be carried out in two directions at once: 1) transformation of toxic components into bound and less mobile compounds in the soil and 2) extraction by plants of the remaining mobile toxicants from the soil with subsequent removal of phytomass. The first direction involves the use of agrochemical methods, the second is the use of fast-growing crops with high tolerance to toxicants. The results of the study showed that phytoremediation, although it takes longer than technical methods, ultimately turns out to be more economical, environmentally friendly and socially acceptable.
About the Authors

Voronin Viktor Ivanovich, Doctor of Sciences (Biology), Principal Research Scientist Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry SB RAS 132, Lermontov st., Irkutsk, 664033, Russian Federation e-mail: bioin@sifibr.irk.ru

Oskolkov Vladimir Aleksandrovich, Candidate of Sciences (Biology), Senior Research Scientist Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry SB RAS 132, Lermontov st., Irkutsk, 664033, Russian Federation e-mail: vosk@sifibr.irk.ru 

Shvetsov Sergey Georgievich, Candidate of Sciences (Biology), Technologist Senior Research Scientist Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry SB RAS 132, Lermontov st., Irkutsk, 664033, Russian Federation Associate Professor 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation e-mail: svs833890@gmail.com

For citation
Voronin V.I., Oskolkov V.A., Shvetsov S.G. Phytoremediation of Man-Made Soils Heavily Contaminated with Arsenic and Heavy Metals. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Biology. Ecology, 2025, vol. 51, pp. 63-72. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3372.2025.51.63 (in Russian)
Keywords
heavy metal pollution, phytoremediation, metal-accumulating plants, humates.
UDC
551.4:631.42(571.5)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3372.2025.51.63
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