Mycorrhizoremediation an enhanced form of phytoremediation

Study of plant roots and the diversity of soil micro biota, such as bacteria, fungi and microfauna associated with them, is important for understanding the ecological complexities between diverse plants, microbes, soil and climates and their role in phytoremediation of contaminated soils. The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi （AMF） are universal and ubiquitous rhizosphere mi- croflora forming symbiosis with plant roots and acting as biofertilizers, bioprotactants, and biodegraders. In addition to AMF, soils also contain various antagonistic and beneficial bacteria such as root pathogens, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria including free-living and symbiotic N-fixers, and mycorrhiza helping bacteria. Their potential role in phytoremediation of heavy metal （HM） contaminated soils and water is becoming evident although there is need to completely understand the ecological complexities of the plant-microbe-soil interactions and their better exploitation as consortia in remediation strategies employed for contaminated soils. These multitrophic root microbial associations deserve multi-disciplinary investigations using molecular, biochemical, and physiological techniques. Ecosystem restoration of heavy metal contaminated soils practices need to incorporate microbial biotechnology research and development. This review highlights the ecological complexity and diversity of plant-microbe-soil combinations, particularly AM and provides an overview on the recent developments in this area. It also discusses the role AMF play in phytorestoration of HM contaminated soils, i.e. mycorrhizoremediation.     

Review:Mycorrhizoremediation—an enhanced form of phytoremediation

INTRODUCTION Biosphere pollution by heavy metals and nu-cleotides was accelerated dramatically during the last few decades due to mining, smelting, manufacturing, treatment of agricultural soils with agro-chemicals and soil sludge, etc. Problems associated with the contamination of soil and water such as animal wel-fare, health, fatalities and disruptions of natural eco-systems are well documented (He et al., 2005). Heavy metals such as Pb, Cr, As, Cu, Cd, and Hg, being added to our so…     

Review:Anaerobic ammonium oxidation for treatment of ammonium-rich wastewaters

The concept of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) is presently of great interest.The functional bacteria belonging to the Planctomycete phylum and their metabolism are investigated by microbiologists.Meanwhile,the ANAMMOX is equally valuable in treatment of ammonium-rich wastewaters.Related processes including partial nitritation-ANAMMOX and completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite (CANON) have been developed,and lab-scale experiments proved that both processes were quite feasible in engineering with appropriate control.Successful full-scale practice in the Netherlands will ac-celerate application of the process in future.This review introduces the microbiology and more focuses on application of the ANAMMOX process.     

Effectiveness of urban construction boundaries in Beijing: an assessment

Based on the remote sensing （RS） and geographic information system （GIS） analysis of the Landsat multispectral scanner （MSS） and thematic mapper （TM） satellite images of 1983, 1993, and 2005, the present research examined the effectiveness of the urban construction boundaries （UCBs） in containing urban growth within the 6th Ring Road of Beijing Municipality. Three indicators on boundary control were proposed, through which the effectiveness of boundary containment, land inventory sufficiency and illegal adjacent development to the UCBs were explored. The results suggested that, first, the UCBs were limited in effectiveness in containing urban growth; second, the area encompassed by the UCBs might not be designed large enough to accommodate new development. The frustration of the urban growth control through the UCBs mainly resulted from the lack of a transparent system for urban land use planning and control to provide sufficient information, the limitation of the traditional land use prediction method to consider contingencies, and the absence of a mechanism to monitor and adjust the UCBs to respond just in time to urban change.