When the amount of imported nutrients is reduced, the release of existing nutrients into the water becomes a major cause of water pollution due to the excessive growth of plants and algae. In order to restore and preserve the oceans affected by this pollution, scientists are focusing on the use of special salt-based products and methods that include planting underwater plants. These methods have become popular because they help promote long-term restoration of the environment.
Vermiculite is a natural mineral with a unique texture that can absorb nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as harmful pollutants such as heavy metals. It can also help improve sediment formation. However, little is known about the sediment impact of using vermiculite in combination with underwater plants.
In order to overcome the knowledge gap, a group of researchers from China conducted a study to investigate the effects of combining vermiculite with two types of underwater plants, Vallisneria spiralis and Hydrilla verticillate, on the properties of the sea and the formation of microorganisms. The team’s findings have been published in a journal Water Biology and Conservation.
“We found that the amount of phosphorus (TP) in the water above the sediment was significantly reduced by 63.29%-91.17% when vermiculite was used,” said Rou Wang, the first author of the study. “Vermiculite can help remove volatile phosphorus and increase nutrient uptake by plant roots.”
In addition, vermiculite-treated sediments showed significantly lower levels of volatile sulfur compared to the control group, indicating that vermiculite can reduce sulfur toxicity to submerged plants.
“During the entire experiment, the pH of the sediment in all treatment groups did not change. However, the oxygen reducing power (ORP) in the vermiculite group was very high, especially in the sediment between 3 to 6 centimeters,” added Wang. . “In addition, the amount of vermiculite added had a positive correlation with sediment pH, ORP, and dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water. These findings suggest that the porous nature of vermiculite increases sediment permeability and improves oxygen transport.”
Furthermore, the evaluation of microorganisms in the 10% vermiculite + Vallisneria spiralis group and the 50% vermiculite + Hydrilla verticillate group were 1.67 times and 3.50 times higher, respectively, compared to the group controller. Also, the number of beneficial bacteria, such as Acdobacteria and Proteobacteria, increased significantly and showed a positive correlation with the amount of vermiculite used, which indicates that vermiculite promotes the growth of beneficial microorganisms.
The combined remediation technology of vermiculite and submersed seeds effectively controlled water and sediment, thus providing insight into their potential applications in bioremediation technology.
“The combination of vermiculite and submerged plants has proven to be a good preparation technique that improves water quality and water quality. Our study serves as valuable information for the use of this method in natural restoration projects,” concluded one author. Yi Zhang.
More information:
Rou Wang et al, Synergistic effects of vermiculite and submerged plants, Water Biology and Conservation (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.watbs.2023.100181
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