Thank you for writing your take on this. This is a subject I have been pondering and researching on for a bit. Love the idea of further remediation but with phytoremediation would the plants accumulate some toxins (metal and chemical?) and become a waste product you’d have treat as a hazardous waste or can it just be tossed back in to a new compost pile? Do you have a list of hyper-accumulating plants one would use for this process? If the plants grow with signs of PFAS damage would you just toss it all and start again with a new batch?
Such good questions, Noey! Here's what I know: the north star of phytoremediation is to choose plants that will *metabolize* the particular toxins of concern, effectively transforming the molecular structure into a less harmful or benign state. This can't always be achieved in which case the biomass may need to be incinerated (I've read they can even be smelted to recover metals that haven't been metabolized!) However, when toxins are metabolized, it should be safe to use the biomass for further composting (testing plant tissue would be the most surefire way to know). When you consider the beautifully complex molecular reactions of plants and their long evolution on Earth across many different harsh environments (including soils naturally high in metals or radiation), you can start to imagine all the different ways they can transmute substances - from roots to leaves to stomates they fix, transform, and/or volatize. There are many great papers out there that offer lists of plants that have been identified to be well suited for specific contaminants, biosolids with its myriad toxins would likely be best treated with a diverse planting. In the last few years more research is underway to identify plants capable of remediating PFAS. Here are 2 to resources to help you with your continued research: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-04/documents/phytoresgude.pdf | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935122006387
Excellent invaluable topic. I have thought about all of the stuff that we don’t want in our biosolids. America, of course is the worst. A friend of mine created an Eco park in Tijuana and he said that the black water coming out of the Paula above on the hill was far more, powerful and nutrient nutrient laden than the stuff coming out of Beverly Hills. I wish farmers in the Midwest see that their desert of defining their soil. I guess they’re so caught up with next seasons crop to get by.
This Eco Park sounds amazing! Having seen some bleak situations of polluted rivers emptying into the ocean in other countries (and getting sick from drinking water), I'm grateful that Americans have at least had high standards for effluent and water-borne pathogens. What grinds my gears is the gaslighting and protection of industries over individuals and small businesses - the dark side of capitalism. And yes, I hold a lot of compassion for our farmers in the Midwest, many of them are hardworking and big-hearted - they want to do right by their land and families. From my view they've been victimized by 'big ag' companies who are intertwined via lobbying with gov supported ag programs - messy. Nonetheless, there are good people everywhere working to change things in their respective fields.
Thank you for writing your take on this. This is a subject I have been pondering and researching on for a bit. Love the idea of further remediation but with phytoremediation would the plants accumulate some toxins (metal and chemical?) and become a waste product you’d have treat as a hazardous waste or can it just be tossed back in to a new compost pile? Do you have a list of hyper-accumulating plants one would use for this process? If the plants grow with signs of PFAS damage would you just toss it all and start again with a new batch?
Such good questions, Noey! Here's what I know: the north star of phytoremediation is to choose plants that will *metabolize* the particular toxins of concern, effectively transforming the molecular structure into a less harmful or benign state. This can't always be achieved in which case the biomass may need to be incinerated (I've read they can even be smelted to recover metals that haven't been metabolized!) However, when toxins are metabolized, it should be safe to use the biomass for further composting (testing plant tissue would be the most surefire way to know). When you consider the beautifully complex molecular reactions of plants and their long evolution on Earth across many different harsh environments (including soils naturally high in metals or radiation), you can start to imagine all the different ways they can transmute substances - from roots to leaves to stomates they fix, transform, and/or volatize. There are many great papers out there that offer lists of plants that have been identified to be well suited for specific contaminants, biosolids with its myriad toxins would likely be best treated with a diverse planting. In the last few years more research is underway to identify plants capable of remediating PFAS. Here are 2 to resources to help you with your continued research: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-04/documents/phytoresgude.pdf | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935122006387
Excellent invaluable topic. I have thought about all of the stuff that we don’t want in our biosolids. America, of course is the worst. A friend of mine created an Eco park in Tijuana and he said that the black water coming out of the Paula above on the hill was far more, powerful and nutrient nutrient laden than the stuff coming out of Beverly Hills. I wish farmers in the Midwest see that their desert of defining their soil. I guess they’re so caught up with next seasons crop to get by.
This Eco Park sounds amazing! Having seen some bleak situations of polluted rivers emptying into the ocean in other countries (and getting sick from drinking water), I'm grateful that Americans have at least had high standards for effluent and water-borne pathogens. What grinds my gears is the gaslighting and protection of industries over individuals and small businesses - the dark side of capitalism. And yes, I hold a lot of compassion for our farmers in the Midwest, many of them are hardworking and big-hearted - they want to do right by their land and families. From my view they've been victimized by 'big ag' companies who are intertwined via lobbying with gov supported ag programs - messy. Nonetheless, there are good people everywhere working to change things in their respective fields.