Phytoremediation as an alternative way for the treatment of large, low heavy metal contaminated sites: application at a former uranium mining area

摘要

Large sites with a low contamination of metall(oid)s were in the past a problem for remediation measures - the "traditional" processes were too expensive for an application on such expanded areas. Phytoremediation can be an alternative for such low contamination problems. In Germany, a research project is performed on this subject, in cooperation of the University of Jena and the TU Dresden. The field site is a former U mining area. Until 1991, a low grade U ore dump for sulfuric acid leaching was located on this site. After the close-down of the U mining in East Germany in 1991, the dump material was removed. Now, a phytoremediation test field is constructed on top of this site for the capture of the remained contaminants coming up by capillary forces. The paper pictures the phytoremediation in general, the research project and gives some first preliminary results.