Metal uptake in reeds from ‘Flowback’ fluids

Flowback fluids from the hydraulic fracturing process that contain high levels of metals may pose environmental risks. This laboratory study investigated the remediation potential of Phragmites australis to sequester Ba and Sr from flowback liquids. The results indicated that reeds can uptake different concentrations of Ba and Sr from solutions. Roots were the main tissues for metal storage, with 12.26±0.58 mg/g Ba and 2.92±0.12 mg/g Sr sequestered in roots from solutions that contained 80 mg/L Ba and 20 mg/L Sr. The more metals in solutions, the more metals that entered the biomass. Reed, which possesses strong adaptability to different conditions and environments, is a good candidate to clean heavy metal-contaminated water or soil via phytoremediation. Field research on metal accumulation in reeds cultured in flowback liquids is needed to further prove its potential to in situ remediation of a heavy metal-contaminated environment.