2024-09-27 
Lithuanian Energy Institute, Breslaujos g. 3, Kaunas. 202-AK aud., Lithuania Author, Institution: Inesa Kniuipytė, Lithuanian Energy Institute
Dissertation title: Effect of environmental factors on the efficiency of biological remediation of soil pollution with heavy metals
Science area, field of science: Technological Sciences, Environmental Engineering, T004.
Defense of the dissertation: 2024-09-27, 10:00 a.m., Lithuanian Energy Institute, 202-AK auditorium, Breslaujos st. 3, Kaunas, Lithuania.
Scientific Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jūratė Žaltauskaitė (Lithuanian Energy Institute, Technological Sciences, Environmental Engineering, T004)
Dissertation Defense Board of Environmental Engineering Science Field:
- Chairperson – Prof. Dr. Žaneta Stasiškienė (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Environmental Engineering, T004);
- Prof. Dr. Jolanta Dvarionienė (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Environmental Engineering, T004);
- Dr. Jūratė Kriaučiūnienė (Lithuanian Energy Institute, Technological Sciences, Environmental Engineering, T004);
- Prof. Dr. Hab. Agnieszka Piotrowicz-Cieslak (University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland, Natural Sciences, Ecology and Environmental, N012);
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gintarė Sujetovienė (Vytautas Magnus University, Natural Sciences, Ecology and Environmental, N012).
The doctoral dissertation is available online J. Šereika el. dissertation (PDF) and at the Library of Kaunas University of Technology (Gedimino st. 50, Kaunas) and at Lithuanian Energy Institute (Breslaujos st. 3, Kaunas).
Annotation:
This scientific work investigated how environmental factors (air temperature, CO2 concentration, soil moisture content) affect the efficiency of bioremediation of heavy metals in soil. By applying two different methods – phytoremediation using energy plants (industrial hemp, summer rape) and vermiremediation with compost earthworms – experimental studies on the remediation of single heavy metals and their mixtures were carried out. The tolerance of organisms to soil heavy metal pollution and the underlying mechanisms (biochemical, physiological and genetic) regulating biological remediation were evaluated. The energy potential of plants, various parameters of heavy metal bioaccumulation (metal concentration in different parts of organisms, bioconcentration and translocation coefficients, total accumulated amount), theoretical remediation time, and soil cleaning efficiency were analyzed. The findings show that by regulating the environmental conditions, properly selecting the species and the duration of the process, it is possible to ensure a sustainable and effective bioremediation. It has been proven that summer rape is a suitable species for phytoremediation of heavy metals under changing environmental conditions, and compost earthworm is a suitable species for phytoremediation of soil heavy metal mixtures while maintaining optimal environmental conditions.