Growth, Productivity and Biomass Quality of Three Miscanthus Genotypes Irrigated with Zn and Cu Contaminated Wastewaters.

Phytoremediation, the use of vegetation for the decontamination of different matrices, is not a very expensive strategy and has been presented as an approach to restore or attenuate and stabilize wastewaters.In this context, this research work aims to study the phytoremediation response of three Miscanthus genotypes (two species -Miscanthus sinensis and Miscanthus floridulus, and a hybrid – Miscanthus × giganteus) to zinc and copper contaminated wastewaters (10 mg Zn.dm-3 and 1 mg Cu.dm-3). Results showed that growth and biomass productivity were not affected by the heavy metal contaminated wastewaters.In the three genotypes, the biomass irrigated with wastewaters contaminated with zinc presented even higher productivity than the control. Cu contaminated wastewaters enhanced the biomass production of M. sinensis. Biomass obtained with Zn and Cu contaminated waters presented higher Zn and Cu content than biomass from control pots, being especially notorious with M. x giganteus and M. sinensis. Miscanthus-soil systemsaccomplished 88-96% removal of Zn and 98% removal of Cu from wastewaters. But, an accumulation of Zn and Cu were observed in the soil due to the irrigation with the contaminated wastewaters.