Work

A Decision Matrix–Guided Framework for Screening Plant Species for Sustainable Phytoremediation of Road Salt–Contaminated Roadside Soils

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The widespread application of road deicing salts in northern regions has led to elevated salinity in roadside soils and adjacent watersheds. Phytoremediation offers a cost-effective and sustainable approach for mitigating salt contamination, but its success depends on utilizing plant species that can both tolerate and remove salt under roadside conditions. To systematically identify high-potential candidates from the large inventory of salt-tolerant plants in North America, we developed a quantitative decision matrix incorporating criteria related to ecological safety, establishment potential on disturbed soils, aboveground biomass production, biomass use-value, and salt uptake capacity. Thirteen of the highest-ranked species were subsequently evaluated for sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl−) uptake in a controlled greenhouse study under saline and non-saline conditions. The greatest total salt uptake was observed in common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) (35.6 mg Na+ and 100.2 mg Cl− plant−1) and pitseed goosefoot (Chenopodium berlandieri) (18.6 mg Na+ and 76.0 mg Cl− plant−1), while perennial species including tall fescue turfgrass (Lolium arundinaceum), showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa), and weeping alkaligrass (Puccinellia distans) also demonstrated substantial uptake combined with greater long-term suitability for roadside management. Overall, this study presents a quantitative framework for phytoremediation species selection and provides experimental evidence supporting both annual and perennial species for mitigating deicing salt contamination through environmentally sustainable, low-input roadside management strategies.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su18041986

Authors: Leif van Lierop, Yuanhang Zhan, Bo Hu

Institution: University of Minnesota

Language: English

Topic: Smart Materials for Construction

Subfield: Pollution

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Life on land

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896