Phytoremediation in flooded environments: Dynamics of barium absorption and translocation by Eleocharis acutangula

Macrophytes are widely used in water treatment and have potential for remediation of flooded soils. Many techniques have been proposed to increase the phytoextraction of metals by macrophytes, however, the knowledge of periods of maximum absorption and translocation is essential and is a gap in the management of phytoremediation. To evaluate the absorption and translocation of Ba over time by Eleocharis acutangula, a greenhouse experiment was conducted and the dry matter production of plants, Ba content in the roots and aerial parts, mass of Ba accumulated in plants, translocation factors and removal coefficients of Ba, and Ba content in two layers of the soil (0.0–0.1 m and 0.1–0.2 m) were determined. The highest translocation rates were observed after 105 days of cultivation, when the plants reached a state of hyperaccumulation. The maximum accumulation of barium occurred in the aerial parts of the plants at 105 days and in the roots at both 120 and 180 days. The barium content was reduced up to 120 days, as a result of an increase in available barium content in the soil layer of 0.0–0.1 m up to 105 days and in the layer 0.10–0.20 m up to 120 days, favoring the intense accumulation of Ba during this period. After 120 days of cultivation, the accumulation in the roots maintained a high coefficient of removal of Ba from the soil to the plant. After 180 days the available barium in the soil was depleted due to this high rate of removal by the roots. [Display omitted] •The accumulation rates of Ba by Eleocharis acutangula were monitored for 180 days.•E. acutangula reached maximum Ba translocation within 105 days of cultivation.•The aerial parts could extract up to 58 kg ha−1 of Ba without any assistance.•Highly efficient rates of Ba accumulation in roots were maintained after 120 days.