Ability of both cupressus sempervirens l. And eucalyptus camaldulensis dehn. To remediate Cadmium-contaminated soil under nitrogen Fertilization [electronic resource].

Includes references.

A pot experiment was conducted from March 2003 to October 2004 at the greenhouse of Sabahia Horticultural Research Station in Alexandria, Egypt to ascertain the abifity of both cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.) and red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn.) seedlings to remediate cadmium-contaminated soil. Three different Cd2+/evels as cadmium chloride (0, 30 and 60 mg kg so;r1) and 2 rates of nitrogen as (NH4)2 S04 (0 and 300 mg kg so;r1) were combined in six treatments and added to the soil of the seedlings. Height, diameter, leaves number, biomass and the uptake of cadmium in roots, stem and leaves were determined for the two species. Elsewhere, correlations between the cadmium content in leaves and roots of both species and the cadmium contamination in the soil were determined. The cadmium content of soils of both cypress and red gum seedlings were not differed significantly although the red gum soils had low concentrations of cadmium than the soils of cypress. Addition of nitrogen dose with the low rate of cadmium (30 ppm) reduced the cadmium concentration in the soil by 29% likewise, the same dose of nitrogen combined with 60 ppm of cadmium reduced the metal concentration in the soil by about 46%. This study revealed that cadmium treatments had no effect on leaf number where had little significant effects in reducing the height growth of both species. On the other hand, the diameter growth was increased in the high cadmium concentration of 60 ppm without nitrogen with comparing to other treatments. When nitrogen was added to the same dose of cadmium the diameter growth greatly reduced. Increasing cadmium treatments from 30 to 60 ppm consequently, had increased the fresh and dry mass of leaves and stems whereas the roots biomass increased only by the high concentration of cadmium. Furthermore. nitrogen accompanied with the cadmium levels increased the fresh and dry weights of both species. For the two species of trees, the highest cadmium level treatment the highest uptake by plants. The results of this study proved that, red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn.) is an efficient tree to remediate the Cd-contaminated soils as well as under this condition, fertilizing the seedlings by nitrogen is surely improve its efficiency to uptake this pollutant.

Summary in Arabic.

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