Integrating metal removal efficiency and bioclimatic adaptation in the selection of macrophytes for acid mine drainage treatment

Marí Cárdenas-Gaudry; Johana Pumaylle; Ronald Unocc

doi:10.17268/

Authors

Marí Cárdenas-Gaudry Universidad Científica del Sur, Department of Environmental Engineering, Sustainable Water and Environmental Systems (SuWES), Lima, Perú.
Johana Pumaylle Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Faculty of Sciences, Lima, Perú.
Ronald Unocc Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Faculty of Sciences, Lima, Perú.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17268/

Keywords:

acid mine drainage, phytoremediation, macrophytes, constructed wetlands, bioclimatic adaptation

Abstract

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the main environmental liabilities associated with mining activity due to its high acidity and elevated concentrations of metals and metalloids. In this context, phytoremediation using macrophytes represents a sustainable alternative for the passive treatment of these effluents. This review article comparatively evaluated eighteen macrophyte species considering their metal removal efficiency, pH tolerance, and bioclimatic adaptation. The results identified Vetiveria zizanioides as the species with the highest tolerance to acidic conditions, supporting pH values as low as 2.7 and increasing the effluent toward near-neutral conditions. In contrast, Juncus effusus, Typha orientalis, and Phragmites australis achieved removal efficiencies close to 99% for Fe, Mn, and As, as well as efficiencies above 90% for Zn, Cd, and Al. Copper removal showed the lowest efficiencies due to its high mobility and ionic competition under acidic conditions. Furthermore, the bioclimatic analysis revealed that variables such as biotemperature, precipitation, and water availability directly influence the stability and performance of macrophytes in treatment systems. It is concluded that the selection of macrophytes for AMD treatment should integrate geochemical, physiological, and bioclimatic criteria in order to optimize the efficiency and sustainability of constructed wetlands.

References

Akcil, A., & Koldas, S. (2006). Acid mine drainage (AMD): Causes, treatment and case studies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 14(12–13), 1139–1145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2004.09.006

Celi Fernández, R. S., Morales Avendaño, E. D., & Andrade Ruiz, C. E. (2025). Aplicación de la fitorremediación con macrófitas. Revista de la Sociedad Científica del Paraguay, 30(2), 103–113. https://doi.org/10.32480/rscp.2025.30.2.103113

Cervantes Macedo, A. H. (2014). Caracterización del drenaje ácido y de las rocas asociadas a una mina para evaluar su posible aplicación en un sistema de tratamiento pasivo [Tesis de licenciatura, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México]. TESIUNAM.

Gil, F. (2020). Evaluación de la fitorremediación con Sesuvium portulacastrum para la extracción de metales pesados de un relave minero proveniente de una operación minera y de suelos y aguas contaminadas artificialmente con metales pesados [Tesis de bachiller, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú].

Guo, J., Cheng, L., Yang, M., Zhang, Y., Liu, H., & Wang, X. (2026). Physicochemical characteristics and microbial community analysis of a wetland system treating acid mine drainage. Scientific Reports, 16, 3360. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-33303-0

Kumar, A., Dadhwal, M., Mukherjee, G., Srivastava, A., Gupta, S., & Ahuja, V. (2024). Phytoremediation: Sustainable approach for heavy metal pollution. Scientifica, 2024, Article 3909400. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/3909400

Naghoum, I., Edahbi, M., Melián, J. A. H., Doña Rodríguez, J. M., Durães, N., Pascual, B. A., & Salmoun, F. (2025). Passive treatment of acid mine drainage effluents using constructed wetlands: Case of an abandoned iron mine, Morocco. Water, 17(5), 687. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17050687

Nguegang, B., Masindi, V., Msagati, T. A. M., & Tekere, M. (2021). The treatment of acid mine drainage using vertical flow wetlands: Perspectives on the fate of chemical species. Minerals, 11(5), 477. https://doi.org/10.3390/min11050477

Nuñez-Bustamante, E., Césare-Coral, M. F., Cuba Torre, H. R., Nuñez-Bustamante, N., Sempértegui-Rafael, R. M., Cornejo-La Torre, M., Cueva, M. D., Arribasplata-Vargas, M. A., Castro-Pantoja, J. B., & Virú-Vásquez, P. (2025). Characterization and efficiency evaluation of organic amendments and native macrophytes for acid mine drainage treatment in Hualgayoc—A case study. Sustainability, 17(8), 3570. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083570

Quevedo Quispe, A. W. (2021). Diseño y construcción de humedal artificial para la recuperación de aguas residuales en la población de Alcalá. Revista Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, 19(24), 133–148. https://doi.org/10.56469/rcti.v19i24.476

Raposo García, A. J. (2022). Drenaje ácido de mina: Causas y consecuencias. Experiencias globales de recuperación de espacios mineros [Trabajo fin de máster, Universidad de Huelva]. df

Thomas, G., Sheridan, C., & Holm, P. E. (2022). A critical review of phytoremediation for acid mine drainage-impacted environments. Science of the Total Environment, 811, 152230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152230

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (1994). Acid mine drainage prediction (EPA 530-R-94-036; NTIS PB94-201829). Office of Solid Waste, Special Waste Branch.

Wibowo, Y., Safitri, H., Malik, I., Sudibyo, & Priyanto, S. (2022). Alternative low-cost treatment for real acid mine drainage: Performance, bioaccumulation, translocation, economic, post-harvest, and bibliometric analyses. Sustainability, 14(22), 15404. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215404

Wu, A., Zhang, Y., Zhao, X., Li, J., Zhang, G., Shi, H., Guo, L., & Xu, S. (2022). Experimental study on the hydroponics of wetland plants for the treatment of acid mine drainage. Sustainability, 14(4), 2148. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042148