RESEARCH ARTICLE Effect of Miscanthus cultivation on metal fractionation and human bioaccessibility in metal-contaminated soils: comparison between greenhouse and field experiments Aurélie Pelfrêne & Andrea Kleckerová & Bertrand Pourrut & Florien Nsanganwimana & Francis Douay & Christophe Waterlot Received: 7 April 2014 /Accepted: 8 September 2014 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014 Abstract The in situ stabilization of metals in soils using plants with great biomass value is a promising, cost-effective, and ecologically friendly alternative to manage metal-polluted sites. The goal of phytostabilization is to reduce the bioavail- able concentrations of metals in polluted soil and thus reduce the risk to the environment and human health. In this context, this study aimed at evaluating Miscanthus × giganteus effi- ciency in phytostabilizing metals on three contaminated agri- cultural sites after short-term exposure under greenhouse con- ditions and after long-term exposure under field conditions. Particular attention was paid to the influence of Miscanthus cultivation on (i) Cd, Pb, and Zn fractionation using sequential extractions and (ii) metal bioaccessibility using an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion test. Data gave evidence of (i) dif- ferent behaviors between the greenhouse and the field; (ii) metal redistribution in soils induced by Miscanthus culture, more specifically under field conditions; (iii) higher environ- mental availability for Cd than for Pb and Zn was found in both conditions; and (iv) overall, a higher bioaccessible frac- tion for Pb (about 80 %) and Cd (65–77 %) than for Zn (36– 52 %) was recorded in the gastric phase, with a sharp decrease in the intestinal phase (18–35 % for Cd, 5–30 % for Pb, and 36–52 % for Zn). Compared to soils without culture, the results showed that phytostabilization using Miscanthus cul- ture provided evidence for substantial effects on oral bioac- cessibility of Cd, Pb, and Zn. Keywords Miscanthus × giganteus . Polluted soils . Metals . Phytostabilization . Bioaccessibility . Sequential extraction Introduction Mining and smelting activities are two of the main sources of metals in the environment, which can result in considerable soil contamination. Metal contamination is a major problem, and their accumulation in soil can have adverse effects on environmental health, crop growth, and food quality and constitutes a potential health risk to humans (Bermudez et al. 2011; Hough et al. 2004; Pruvot et al. 2006). The assessment, management, and remediation of metal- contaminated soils are a worldwide environmental concern. In northern France, soil contamination is a major concern, especially in former mining areas, due to the past industrial context and strong demographic pressure. From the latter part of the nineteenth and through much of the twentieth century, considerable atmospheric emissions of dust were generated by the former Metaleurop Nord smelter, which led to high con- tamination of the surrounding soils, especially by Cd, Pb, and Zn (Douay et al. 2009, 2013; Pelfrêne et al. 2013). It is now well documented that several human diseases or dysfunctions have resulted from chronic exposure to Cd and Pb (Jarup 2003; Oliver 1997). The exposure to acute Zn concentrations is also of great concern because of its toxicity to humans (Kabata-Pendias and Mukherjee 2007). Governmental and regional institutions are devoting increased attention to soil pollution problems, which are closely related to soil use. After Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11356-014-3585-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. A. Pelfrêne (*) : B. Pourrut : F. Nsanganwimana : F. Douay : C. Waterlot Groupe ISA, Laboratoire Génie Civil et géo-Environnement (LGCgE), 48 boulevard Vauban, 59046 Lille cedex, France e-mail: aurelie.pelfrene@isa-lille.fr A. Kleckerová Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic Environ Sci Pollut Res DOI 10.1007/s11356-014-3585-1 personal copy