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Plant Growth and Trace-Element Uptake on Acidic Coal Refuse Amended with Lime or Fly Ash¹

ABSTRACT

Two commonly used revegetation species, ‘Kentucky 31’ tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and ‘Lincoln’ smooth brome (Bromus inermis Leyss.), were grown for 60 days in pots containing coarse coal mine refuse (referred to as gob, pH = 3.5) amended with either lime or alkaline powerplant fly ash. Both species were also grown in pots containing a silt loam surface soil as a control. Morphological growth parameters were measured over time; dry weights and shoot/root ratios were determined at harvest. Concentrations of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, V, and Zn in the plant shoots were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Plant growth of both species was not as good on either lime- or fly ash-amended gob as it was on surface soil; however, more vigorous growth occurred on lime-amended gob than on fly ash-amended gob. Significant differences (p <0.05) in the tissue concentrations of Cd, Co, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn were found among the plants grown on the three substrates. Except for Hg and Pb, these elements were higher in plants grown on at least one of the amended-gob substrates than in plants grown on surface soil. Significant substrate differences were not observed for Al, As, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Se. The tissue concentrations of some elements—notably Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, V, and Zn—were high enough in plants from one or more of tbe substrates to either approach or exceed concentrations which have been reported to be associated with toxic effects in some plant species.

Key Words: revegetation • land reclamation • heavy metals • Bromus inermis Leyss. • Festuca arundinacea Schreb.

¹ Contribution from the Land Reclamation Program, Argonne Natl. Lab., Argonne, IL 60439. This work was supported by the U.S. Dep. of Energy (Contract W-31-109-Eng-38).

² Assistant Environmental Scientist, Div. of Environ. Impact Studies, Argonne Natl. Lab., Argonne, Ill.; Associate Professor of Biology, Aurora College, Aurora, IL 60507; Ecologist and Biologist, Div. of Environ. Impact Studies, Argonne Natl. Lab., Argonne, Ill.

Received for publication June 27, 1979.

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