The Effects of Phytoremediation with Pteris vittata on Arsenic Concentration and Morphological Distribution in Arsenic Contaminated Soil

Arsenic(As) contamination is widely concerned, and Pteris vittata has been suggested as an effective and low-cost method to clean up As contaminated soils. To investigate whether phytoremediation would influence the content and fractions of As in soil, the As hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata was grown in contaminated soil in a pot experiment. The results showed that As concentrations of the fronds, leafstalks and roots were different, and most of As occurred in the fronds(mean=88.2%). Phytoremediation with Pteris vittata reduced As concentration in the contaminated soil by 12.4%. Phytoremediation also changed the occurrence mode of As in the contaminated soil, as the percentage of residual form of As decreased from 97.41% to 92.96%, while the other parts of bioavailable As were increased.