Harnessing microalgae–plant synergy for remediating metal contaminated soil: Festuca arundinacea and Haematococcus pluvialis in focus


Kılıç F. N., Sönmez O., Ulaş A., Aydın S., Noman A.

FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PLANT FUNCTION, cilt.53, sa.5, ss.28-35, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

Özet

Soil contamination by heavy metals (HMs) has intensifi ed with industrialization, mining, and intensive agriculture, creating an urgent need for sustainable remediation strategies. Conventional chemical and physical techniques are costly, disruptive, and difficult to apply at the fi eld scale, emphasizing eco-friendly biological
alternatives. This study investigated the combined remediation potential of the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis (H. pluvialis) and three Festuca arundinacea varieties (Nilüfer, Grande II, and Jaguar 4G) for removing cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) from contaminated soil. Increasing H. pluvialis doses enhanced Cd, Pb,
and Zn accumulation in shoots and roots while decreasing Pb bioaccumulation factors. Translocation factors and overall phytoremediation efficiency improved for all metals following microalgal application, with Grande II showing the highest recovery. Post-harvest soil analyses revealed reductions of 57.14%, 20.31%, and 25.46% in
Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations, respectively, alongside a 2.69% decline in soil pH and a 5.34% rise in organic matter. The most effective treatment was 1.5 g kg−1 H. pluvialis with Grande II. These fi ndings demonstrate that optimizing microalgal dosage improves metal removal efficiency and supports soil restoration, providing a
foundation for sustainable phytoremediation applications.