Duration: 2010-2012
Competition: The 2nd call, January 2009
Title: REJUVENATE 2
Contacting Authority: ANCS
Project Coordinator: Swedish Geotechnical Institute , SGI

Project Manager:
INCDMRR-ICPMRR (Romania) – dr.ing Gheorghe Cruțu

Partners:

  • Swedish Geotechnical Institute , SGI (Suedia)- Coordinator
  • r3 (UK)
  • Dechema (Germania)
  • Bioclear (Olanda)
  • Hasselt University (Belgia)
  • INCDMRR-ICPMRR (Romania)

Main objective:
Selection and characterization of sites for case studies in Romania by applying the Decision Support Tool (DST) in the use of land contaminated with heavy metals and / or radionuclides for crops for biofuel production Proposed activities: a) Participation in workshops partners in the consortium and To scientific manifestations; b) The inventory of critical areas in Romania is the aspect of soil pollution with heavy metals and / or radionuclides; c) Characterization of the objectives selected for the case study from the point of view of crop types and uses, soil characteristics, economic and social assessments, status of applicable biofuels technologies (documentation studies, field studies, sampling, specific analyzes ). Preparation of selected biomass crops for biofuels (pre-cultivation)

 

Milestones Deliverables: reports

 

Project supported co financed by: SNOWMAN ERA NET

 

Dissemination actions: www.snowman-era.net

 

Type of the project: Support actions for 7th Framework Programme:
Activities Workplan

WP1 – Project Management and Coordination (Responsible: SGI – Sweden)
WP2 – Dissemination and Exploitation (Responsible: SGI – Sweden)
WP3 – Use, testing and SDR for sustainable biofuel crops on contaminated land (case study). (Responsible: BIOCLEAR – The Netherlands)
WP4 – SWOT Analysis of DST (Responsible: SGI – Sweden)
WP5 – Legal and Economic Feasibility of SDR (Responsible: CMK, Hasselt University – Belgium)
According to the project proposal validated by the coordinating committee of the SNOWMAN network, which established the role of each participating organization, the Romanian partner, INCDMRR Bucharest, is mostly involved in WP3 (case studies in Romania), but to a lesser extent In the other actions.

INCDMRR’s contributions to the SNOWMAN / Rejuvenate 2 project during 2010-2012 are funded under the PN II -IDEI Program, ERA-NET Projects, through contract no. 1/2010, concluded between UEFISCSU, as contracting authority and INCDMRR as contractor.

CONCLUSIONS

– The experimental field worked for three years, during 2010-2012.

– Over the three years, the concentration of different chemical elements in the soil varies, decreases or increases within very small limits, but most are kept constant.

– Copper concentration (Cu) varies from 60 ppm in 2010 to 30-50 ppm in 2011 and even in 2012 to 10 ppm in corn-covered soil.

– Nickel (Ni) drops from more than 100 ppm in 2010 to 30-50 ppm over the next few years and increases in the soil cultivated with lucerne.

– Lead (Pb) remains in all years at high concentrations in soils, 220 – 260 ppm, with small variations over time. Zinc (Zn) has high concentration values ranging between 350 and 500 ppm, and cadmium (Cd) concentration remains high at this range, 6.8-7.4 ppm.

– The only element that falls under the legal regulations is manganese (Mn), with values between 400 and 600 ppm, compared to the maximum admitted level of 900 ppm.

– Concentrations of heavy metals in plants have had a large increase in Fe, Pb, Zn, Ni and Cr.

– Analyzing the concentrations of heavy metals in plants, we find that wheat stalks contain Fe, Pb, Zn, Mn and Ni in much higher concentrations, 3 to 10 times the normal values. At the same time, the wheat grain concentrations are slightly above the straw values.

– For maize grains 3-5 times higher than normal, Fe has Pb, Pb is slightly above the norm, Zn is 10 times higher and the other elements are within normal limits. Corn plants have varying concentrations in different parts. So Fe is found in concentrations well above norms, reaching the strain to values and 20 times over the limits, Pb has the highest values in the leaves on the stem and in the leaves on the stiletti, Zn has values10-20 times higher In leaves and in the stem, Cu and Ni have high values in leaves and stem, and Mn is within normal limits.

– At sunflowers, high concentrations of Fe, Cu and Pb are found in the stem and leaves, and in the seeds the highest concentrations are Zn, followed by Ni, Mn and Cr.

– Potatoes have Fe and Zn 5 times the limits, and Pb, Cd and Ni in slightly increased concentrations. The other elements are within normal limits.

– The lucerne has 2.5 times the iron concentration, twice the iron, Zn of 6 times the Cd side 3 times higher.

– A special plant is Mischantus, which accumulates every year high concentrations of heavy metals such as Fe, Pb, Ni, Cr, Mn, compared to other crops.

– The land in question will continue to be used for agricultural crops for use in animal and human food. Another possibility would be to use this land as livestock.

Recommendations:

– We recommend that seed and biomass production on land with such concentrations of heavy metals be used less in animal and human nutrition;

– Using seeds from these lands in the production of biofuels (bioethanol and biodiesel);

– Use of biomass as a biofuel for heating homes by transforming it into pellets.

– Improvement of the Romanian legislation in order to stimulate the utilization of vegetal remains.

– Continuing similar research in a radioactively contaminated area