Assessment of Miscanthus x giganteus capacity to restore the functionality of metal-contaminated soils: Ex situ experiment

- Miscanthus x giganteus is a great candidate for phytomanagement.
- M. x giganteus reduced metal mobility and availability.
- Soil biological parameters were improved by M. x giganteus cultivation.
- M. x giganteus restored enzymatic activities of heavily contaminated soils.

Phytostabilization can be an appropriate choice for managing soils contaminated by diverse metals. Miscanthus x giganteus was selected to phytostabilize polluted soils surrounding the former lead smelter Metaleurop Nord, in Northern France. The aim of the current study was to determine the impact of miscanthus plants on restoring the corresponding soil functionality. Ex situ experiments revealed that soil biological activities (basal respiration, fluorescein diacetate hydrolytic activity, acid phosphatases, laccases and ureases) as well as microbial biomass carbon increased in contaminated soils cultivated with miscanthus, compared to unplanted soils. These results verify the capacity of miscanthus to restore polluted soil functionalities, indicating the positive effect of phytostabilization on soil biological activities. In conclusion, revegetating polluted soils with miscanthus plants can restore their capacity to perform biochemically and biologically.