Phytoremediation in Marine and Coastal Ecosystems

1
Phytoremediation in Marine and Coastal Ecosystems

• By Andrea Tanny

2
What is Phytoremediation?

• Phytoremediation is the process by which
  inorganic and organic pollutants are removed by
  plants and microorganisms associated with those
  plants. It is often a cheaper, less intrusive
  method with more public appeal than conventional
  methods of pollution removal.
• Phytostabilization
• Phytostimulation
• Phytodegradation
• Phytoextraction
• Phytovolatilization
• Rhizofiltration
• Systems
• Hydroponics
• Constructed wetland
• Hydraulic barrier
• Vegetative cap

3
Coastal Ecosystems

• Habitat
• Food sources
• Biodiversity
• Tourism
• Erosion control
• Water filtration

4
Pollutants

• Inorganics such as Mercury, Lead, Chromium and
  Cadmium
• Organics such as PCBs, PAHs, TNT, Petroleum
  hydrocarbons, and pesticides
• Solid wastes

5
Sources of Pollution

• Runoff
• Dumping
• Ship leakage and dumping
• Pipeline leakage
• Commercial Industrial garbage

6
Conventional Methods of Marine Pollution Removal

• Dredging (digging up and removing polluted
  sediments)
• Absorbing spilled oils

7
Current Phytoremediation

• No marine phytoremediation
• Phytoremediation of sediments removed from marine
  and coastal areas
• Seaweed is a potential for phytoremediation

8
Studies

• Marine sediment phytoremediation polluted with
  PAHs done by Daniel Paquin, Richard Ogoshi, Sonia
  Campbell, and Qing X. Li at the University of
  Hawaii. The study was published in the
  international Journal of Phytoremediation Vol. 4
  No. 4 in 2002.
• In situ use of seaweed to take in and neutralize
  TNT pollution by Donald Cheney at Northeastern
  University

9
Potential Plants and Methods for Marine/coastal
Phytoremeidation

• Spartina
• Salicornia
• Limonium
• Plantago
• Trees, shrubs and grasses native to coastal
  ecosystems

10
Preventing Marine Pollution

• Constructed wetlands
• Hydraulic barrier
• Hydroponics
• Vegetative cap
• Regulations such as the Clean Water Act

11
Links and Sources

• Australian Government Department of the
  Environment and Heritage. Coastal and Marine
  Pollution. http//www.deh.gov.au/coasts/pollution/
  index.html
• The Christian Science Monitor. A seaweed soaks up
  TNT - and may help clean oceans.
  http//www.csmonitor.com/2005/0324/p14s02-sten.htm
  
• Environmental Literacy Council. Coastal
  Ecosystems. http//www.enviroliteracy.org/subcateg
  ory.php/9.html
• www.epa.gov
• Hoehamer, C. F., Wolfe, N. L., and Karl Erik L.
  Eriksson. 2006. "Differences in the
  Biotransformation of 2,4,6-Trinitrotolulene (TNT)
  Between Wild and Axenically Grown Isolates of
  Myriophyllum aquaticum," International Journal of
  Phytoremediation, 8107-115.
• The Humane Society of the United States. Marine
  Pollution and Habitat Degradation.
  http//www.hsus.org/marine_mammals/what_are_the_is
  sues/marine_pollution_and_habitat_degradation.html
  
• International Maritime Organization. Convention
  on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping
  of Wastes and Other Matter. http//www.imo.org/Con
  ventions/contents.asp?topic_id258doc_id681
• The International Year of the Ocean Home Page.
  Ocean Facts on Runoff Pollution.
  http//www.yoto98.noaa.gov/facts/pollut.htm
• Natural Environment Research Council. British
  Antarctic Survey. http//www.antarctica.ac.uk/Abou
  t_BAS/Cambridge/Divisions/EID/Environment/waste_po
  llution_cleanup/prevention_of_marine_pollution.htm
  l
• Ocean Link. Marine Pollution. http//oceanlink.isl
  and.net/ask/pollution.htmlanchor35140
• Ocean Planet. Oceans in Peril. http//seawifs.gsfc
  .nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/ocean_planet_oceans_in
  _peril.html
• Paquin, D., Ogoshi, R., Campbell, S., and Qing,
  X. L. 2002. "Bench-Scale Phytoremediation of
  Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-Contaminated
  Marine Sediment with Tropical Plants."
  International Journal of Phytoremediation, vol.
  4., no. 4., pp. 297-313.
• ThomasNet. Absorbents Oil Spill.
  http//www.thomasnet.com/products/absorbents-oil-s
  pill-96086848-1.html
• U.S. Fish Wildlife Service. Coastal Program.
  http//www.fws.gov/coastal/CoastalProgram/
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ocean
  Regulatory Programs. http//www.epa.gov/owow/ocean
  s/regulatory/index.html
• USGS. Coastal Ecosystems. http//www.werc.usgs.gov
  /coastal/
• University of Florida. Salt-Tolerant Plants for
  Florida. http//edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP012TABLE_3
• University of Massachusetts. Soils, Sediments,
  and Water. http//umasssoils.com/StudentAward/2004
  pastrecipients.htm
• Washington State Department of Ecology.
  Non-Native Freshwater Plants Parrotfeather.
  http//www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/aqu
  a003.html