Phytoremediation of nitrate in an unconfined aquifer using eucalyptus - FITOREM

• Grant number: 12/20124-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2013
• End date: July 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo César Aoki Hirata
• Grantee: Ricardo César Aoki Hirata
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IGC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Fernando Augusto Saraiva

Abstract

Nitrate is one of the most common contaminants in aquifers. Its origin is usually related to agricultural practices and on situ sanitation. In São Paulo, several studies have pointed to this problem, which also has occurred in many cities, even if they have sewerage mains for decades. The remediation of aquifers contaminated by nitrate is a major challenge in management, because, although it involves a contaminant of low toxicity, the extent of the plumes and the high costs of water treatment (compared to the volumes achieved) prevent the application of existing methods. Thus, this research project aims to study and evaluate the use of eucalyptus for the phytoremediation of plumes of nitrate and others nutrients in a shallow aquifer. The study area is located in Rio Claro (SP), where will be injected a solution of nitrate and other ions into an aquifer associated to evaluate the capacity and efficiency of eucalyptus removal of nitrate and nutrients. The study involves drilling multilevel wells in an area of adult eucalyptus plantation, conducting sampling, chemical and isotopic water analyzes to determine the hydrogeochemical evolution of nitrogen in order to estimate (including using numerical models) possible contamination source arrangements between attenuating barrier and eucalyptus. This proposal is part of a cooperation project between the scientific CEPAS-IGc-USP and the University of Tsukuba (Japan) and has partial funding from the Ministry of Agriculture of that country. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

TERADA, RAFAEL; HIRATA, RICARDO; GALVAO, PAULO; SARAIVA, FERNANDO; TASSE, NORIO; LUIZ, MARIANA; CONICELLI, BRUNO. Hydraulic relationship between aquifer and pond under potential influence of eucalyptus and sugarcane in tropical region of Sao Paulo, Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES, v. 81, n. 9, p. 16-pg., 2022-05-01. (12/20124-3)

Filed patent(s) as a result of this research project