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Effects of different organic wastes on plant growth and tailings properties of a Pb-Zn mine
Received:March 15, 2020  
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KeyWord:organic wastes;Pb-Zn mine tailings;heavy metals;tailings properties;plant growth
Author NameAffiliationE-mail
WANG Lu College of Biology and Environmental Science, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, China
College of Resources and Environment, Zunyi Normal University, Zunyi 563006, China 
 
YANG Sheng-xiang College of Resources and Environment, Zunyi Normal University, Zunyi 563006, China yangsx1998@163.com 
ZHAO Dong-bo College of Resources and Environment, Zunyi Normal University, Zunyi 563006, China  
PENG Xi-zhu College of Biology and Environmental Science, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, China  
LI Feng-mei College of Biology and Environmental Science, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, China  
CHEN Gong-xi College of Biology and Environmental Science, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, China  
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Abstract:
      The effects of different organic wastes to amend the physio-chemical properties of Pb-Zn mine tailings were studied. A field experiment was conducted on Pb-Zn mine tailings to evaluate the efficiency of different treatments on nutrients, diethylene-triamine-pentaacetic acid(DTPA)-extracted heavy metal, enzyme activity, plant biomass and coverage, and heavy metal content in plants. The principal findings were as follows:the mine tailings had the lowest nutrient elements, enzyme activity, vegetation coverage, and biomass, whereas the DTPA-extracted heavy metal in the tailings and the heavy metal content in plants were the highest. The application of different organic wastes significantly increased the organic matter content, available phosphorus, ammonium nitrogen, and available potassium, which were 0.68~5.52, 1.50~14.46, 1.62~4.59, and 0.16~1.08 times higher, respectively, than those in the tailings. Compared with the tailings, the DTPA-Cd, DTPA-Cu, DTPA-Pb, and DTPA-Zn concentrations in organic waste-amended plots decreased by 27.33%~62.06%, 6.98%~35.19%, 0.50%~32.41%, and 19.37%~43.98%, respectively. Dehydrogenase, glucosidase, urease, and phosphatase increased by 0.08~11.00, 0.05~1.72, 0.59~17.38, and 1.71~6.74 times, respectively. Plant biomass and coverage increased by 1.59~215.57 and 12.75~84.75 times, respectively. Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in plants decreased by 23.18%~82.76%, 3.30%~39.52%, 67.30%~81.46%, and 44.98%~75.60%, respectively. Chicken manure and municipal sludge had the highest effect on nutrient elements, dehydrogenase, urease and phosphatase activity, and plant biomass and coverage with a significance level of P<0.05. Organic matter and available phosphorus and potassium in the chicken manure-amended plots increased by 5.52, 14.46, and 1.08 times, respectively, and ammonium nitrogen in the municipal sludge-amended plots increased by 4.59 times. Dehydrogenase, urease, and phosphatase in the chicken manure-amended and municipal sludge-amended plots increased by 11.00 and 10.12, 17.38 and 16.74, and 6.74 and 5.94 times, respectively. The plant biomass and coverage of the chicken manure-amended and municipal sludge-amended plots increased by 214.80 and 215.57, 84.75 and 80.25 times, respectively. Overall, these eight organic wastes favor plant survival and growth. The chicken manureamended and municipal sludge-amended plots have potential to greatly improve Pb-Zn mine tailing practices.