POTENTIAL OF POST-DEMOLITION AUTOCLAVED AERATED CONCRETE IN ASSISTED PHYTOSTABILIZATION WITHIN CIRCULAR ECONOMY FRAMEWORKS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Regions contaminated with heavy metals throughout the world are increasing from year to year, which gives rise to the need of seeking new methods enabling their reclamation. Applied and effective techniques include aided phytostabilization. The executed studies aimed to determine the potential for applying Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) in the process of aided phytostabilization of soil contaminated with heavy metals, using Lolium perenne L. as the test plant. Soil heavily contaminated with heavy metals was derived from a metal waste landfill. Upon completion of the experiment, the contents of heavy metals in the soil, roots and above-ground parts of Lolium perenne L. were identified using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The results of the experiment revealed a decrease in concentrations of Cd (27%), Cu (23%) and Zn (19%) in the analyzed soil, along with an increase in the pH value (1.35 units) of the soil and plant yield of Lolium perenne L. upon application of AAC as compared to the control series. It is also worth mentioning that the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Cr and Ni in the roots were higher than in the above-ground parts of Lolium perenne L. To sum up, the application of AAC to soil contaminated with heavy metals may be potentially beneficial and successfully applied in the technique of aided phytostabilization.