Effects of Saharan dust cloud water in the remediation of soil having high heavy metal content

Abstract

Studies revealed that the precipitation from the Saharan Desert brings on a natural fertilizereffect on the plants, contributing to the growth of plants during daytime. In this study, theeffectiveness of the Saharan dust has been investigated in the remediation of soil, which hasbeen a very low pH value and high concentrations of various metals. The effects of using thesolution obtained by dilution of Saharan dust (as namely Saharan dust water) and Saharandust on the development of Phaseolus vulgaris and the amount of metal passing to the plantwere investigated. It was observed that no plant growth occurred when no remediation wasprovided on the soil. When metal amounts penetrating the plant was considered, lower metalconcentrations were determined in the plants growing with mixtures in which Saharan dustwas added and which were irrigated with Saharan dust water compared to mixtures in whichcompost was added and which were irrigated with Saharan dust water. It was observed thatirrigation with Saharan dust water and/or addition of Saharan dust was making the soil suitable for the growth of the plant by increasing its pH in a similar way as adding compost. It wasseen that the compost and Saharan dust, and that the solution obtained by Saharan dust waterwere enabling remediation in soil containing high amounts of metal and having an acidiccharacter at a level as to enable plant growth, and are causing a decrease in the amounts ofheavy metal penetrating the plant.