ISSUE NO. 31
Phytodepuration is the process of cleaning up contaminated environments by using plants that have the ability to absorb contaminants–heavy metals such as Cadmium and Nickel, explosives, pesticides, solvents, and crude oil. The process occurs during the water and nutrient absorption phase carried out by the roots.
The Phytodepuration ability of the Hemp plant is today a topic of discussion and confrontation: under scrutiny regarding a potential hemp ability to absorb excess heavy metals in soil and other contaminants by accumulating them in roots and leaves. In doubt is the permanence of the elements within the stem.
Hemp has roots ranging in length from forty-five to ninety centimeters. Hemp is a high biomass-producing plant that can be used through a pyrolysis process: this way, some of the metals absorbed could be recoverable.
The phytoremediation capacity of hemp has not yet been scientifically proven – but studies such as ‘Potential of Industrial Hemp for Phytoremediation of Heavy Metals’ report how hemp was planted near the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster to extract radioactive elements such as chromium, lead, copper and nickel from the soil.
In the Puglia region of Italy, industrial hemp is being used to decontaminate some of the most polluted soils in Europe (BIO SPHERE project – Bio-integrated spirulina hemp remediation). The Ilva steel plant is responsible for the contamination and has been polluting the local soil for decades, poisoning local inhabitants, flora and fauna.
For a 2021 paper by researchers from the Poznań University of Life Sciences (Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu) and the Institute of Natural Fibers and Medicinal Plants (Intytut Włókien Naturalnych i Roślin Zielarskich), field experiments were conducted on seven-point-five acres in the former lignite mining area of Kazimierz Biskupin, Poland, between 2014 and 2018.
The objective was to examine the use of hemp in a former mining area as a tool for reclaiming soil affected by open-pit mining of lignite, a type of hard coal. The output was positive.
ISSUE NO. 31
Lampoon is a cultural magazine.
Culture today means sustainability – in its honest meaning.
Culture has always been about human respect, tolerance. It’s not only about accepting human diversity but it’s about searching for the beauty of every human peculiarity.
Inclusion is the first value that defines art. Culture today means one thing only: to be part of a community, to think as a community.
Reading Lampoon, you see that these themes are smoothly aligned. A good part of the articles’ content discusses practices to restore our environment and stories about understanding the others.
Reading Lampoon, you find a dialogue between science and creativity. From sharp and edgy photo sessions to fashion, architecture, technology – the commitment is dedicated to a future that is all about us – together.
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