G.R.E.E.N.: Generare Risorse Ed Economie Nuove

(Generating New Resources and Economies)

Marcello Colao

and Elvira Tarsitano

2,3

A.P.S., Via Giulio Petroni 15/f – 70124 Bari, Italy

ABAP-A.P.S., Via Giulio Petroni 15/f – 70124 Bari, Italy

Centro di Eccellenza di Ateneo per la Sostenibilità (CEA4S), Università degli Studi di Bari, Italy

www.infoabap.it

Keywords: Environment, Hemp, Phytoremediation, Cropping Systems, Sustainability, Green Building.

Abstract: The project aims to realize interventions for phytodepuration and to evaluate the remediation capacity of the

best Hemp variety (s) as a hyperaccumulator of heavy metals. Hemp (Cannabis sativa) can be used to reclaim

the soils using an innovative, eco-friendly and low-cost technique called phytoremediation. Hemp is suitable

to be used to recover soils, as it is easy to grow under different pedo-climatic conditions, is can be re-

introduced in current cropping systems and produces high exploitable biomass for the Non-Food sector. The

project aims to explore the potential uses of hemp and its contribution in promoting sustainable development

(products) and investigate the potential carbon sequestration potential in the soil and evaluate different

agricultural management practices, evaluating CO

, N

O and CH

emissions related to certain climatic

conditions (those provided by the IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).

1 INTRODUCTION

Phytotechnologies (phytodepuration) are

environmental restoration tools that use herbaceous

plants or trees for the treatment of contaminants such

as heavy metals, radioactive elements and organic

compounds in the soil, groundwater, surface waters

and discharges of agricultural origin, civil or

industrial (Baker et al., 1991; Raskin et al., 1997;

Wenzel et al., 1999). These technologies have

become interesting alternatives to conventional

purification and remediation systems, thanks to the

relatively low costs and aesthetic characteristics of

the treated sites. At the base there is the set of

biological, chemical and physical processes that

allow the absorption, seizure, biodegradation and

metabolization of contaminants.

Hemp has been successfully used in the treatment

of water and soils contaminated by heavy metals,

radionuclides and aromatic compounds

(hydrocarbons and PCBs) (Citterio et al., 2003;

Linger et al., 2002; Vandenhove et al., 2005 ; Kos et

al., 2003, patent WO/2008/029423). The high

production of biomass, the great plasticity, which

allows the cultivation of hemp in a wide variety of

agro-ecological conditions and the possibility of

using its biomass in non-food industries, make this

species attractive for phytoremediation (Linger et al.,

2002; Citterio et al., 2003; Arru et al., 2004).

Reduction of erosion and dispersion of polluting

substances, improving water quality (Haynes and

Swift, 1990; Six et al., 2002); retention control and

water infiltration (controls flooding by redistributing

the load of precipitation) (Sparkling et al., 2006,

Reed, 2007); improves soil biodiversity thanks to the

radical increase that allows the sequestration of more

carbon; increases soil fertility and productivity (Reed,

2007, Rice et al., 2007). Soil remediation: reduce the

pollutant load and allow agricultural activity in

contaminated sites (Colao et al., 2015).The

G.R.E.E.N. project connects directly to the issues of

environmental sustainability, global pollution and the

common interest.

1.1 Motivations

Hemp is an annual plant that takes a year to complete

its life cycle. The peculiarity of annual plants is to

ensure the propagation of the species through the

production of seeds during the final stage of their

cycles. Furthermore, Cannabis sativa is a dioecious

plant, however the monoecious cultivars are highly

128

Colao, M. and Tarsitano, E.

G.R.E.E.N.: Generare Risorse Ed Economie Nuove (Generating New Resources and Economies).

DOI: 10.5220/0009793701280132

In Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Smart Cities and Green ICT Systems (SMARTGREENS 2020), pages 128-132

ISBN: 978-989-758-418-3

appreciated in agronomy. Hemp presents a rich root

system made of aboundant secondary roots and a

taproot, which allow the plant to have more autonomy

in terms of water supply, and an erect stem. The

leaves are palmately compound or digitate, with

serrate leaflets and are mostly opposite, with 3-9

lanceolate, sharp, serrated and pubescent segments.

(Colao et al., 2015)

1.1.1 Phytoremediation

Phytoremediation is the ecological science that uses

cropping systems (annual species or trees) to remove

heavy metals and other toxins from contaminated

soil. Using specific plants and trees (called hyper-

accumulators) in polluted areas, contaminants can be

considerably reduced. Why hemp is superior to other

phytoremediators? Hemp grows rapidly producing

consistent amounts of above-ground biomass,

reaching full crop development in just 180 days and

produces roots extending deep into the soil up to 2.5

meters. At that level, the toxins can be extracted

without removing the contaminated soil of the top

layer, thus avoiding the expense of transportation to

off-site disposal plants. (Colao et al., 2015).

Moreover, hemp is the best of “remediators” because:

 its ability to grow not affected by toxins

collected in the plant;

 its fast absorption rate and its ability to bind air

and soil contaminants compounds;

 Hemp actually removes CO

from the air as

well as removes heavy metals and other

pollutants from the soil.

1.1.2 Direct and Indirect Environmental

Benefits

 Hemp cultivation requires low amounts of

chemical treatments such as pesticides or

herbicides;

 Within the sustainable cropping systems, hemp

plays a positive role because it regenerates the

soil making it more fertile thanks to its properties

(reduction of weeds) and thanks to its root

system, which works the soil in depth (up to 2

meters), leaving it in excellent condition for the

following crop;

 It grows fast (up to 10 cm/day) preventing weeds

from developing, and as a consequence use of

herbicides decreases. Moreover, thanks to the

allelopathic substances contained in the leaves,

reduces the growth of weed species;

 It helps to mitigate climate change. The result of

a study conducted at the University of

Edinburgh, highlights the ability of hemp to

sequester atmospheric CO

into the soil.

1.1.3 Design Criteria

 Use of plants and environmental control as a

method of environmental remediation;

 Inclusion of hemp cultivation in the cultivation

systems in the intervention area

 In-depth study of cultivation techniques:

irrigation, fertilization, mycorrhization, variety

comparison and physiological parameters such

as the development and growth of the species,

both productive and qualitative parameters, in

order to identify the most suitable agronomic

management strategies to guarantee

environmental sustainability. of production

processes

 Effect on the soil-plant-atmosphere system

 Simplicity as a synonym of design effectiveness;

 Planning of targeted social interventions for the

dissemination of environmental awareness;

 Creation of a new land use system thus

demonstrating that it has the potential not only

to clean the environment, in its broadest sense,

but also to create jobs and sustainable resources

for the community, according to the principles of

the green economy, circular economy and

bioeconomy.

1.2 Objectives

The goal of the project is the remediation of the

polluted areas subject to intervention.

Furthermore:

 Acquiring experimental elements for the design

of better performing phytodepuration plants;

 Measuring experimentally and statistically the

effectiveness and efficiency of the abatements;

 Measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of

the various technical solutions in the realization

of natural plants;

 model calibration;

 experimentally verify the effectiveness of

phytodepuration to break down heavy metals,

organic and inorganic micropollutants;

 measuring the effectiveness of pro solutions;

 financial and economic value;

 contribution to biodiversity;

 increase in green building techniques.

In summary, the operational objective is the

research aimed at validating a good practice that

includes the cultivation of hemp as an integral part of

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129

strategies promoting the mitigation of climate change

and sustainable development.

2 METHODOLOGICAL

APPROACH TO RESEARCH

The phytodepuration system will be characterized by

a multidisciplinary approach (agronomic, chemical

and biological). The need, expressed in the planning

step, to implement a transformation of the

“environmentally sustainable” territory, highlighted

the theme of providing a particularly attentive design

approach not only to the problems related to

remediation, but more generally to the “sustainable

management of the whole supply chain”.

2.1 Methods

 Cost-effectiveness analysis;

 Floristic, vegetational and ecostational dynamics

analysis;

 Statistical analysis;

 Systematic statistical comparisons and and

multi-scale culling for all variable combinations;

 Technical-economic comparisons of the plant.

2.2 Procedural Steps

1. Data collection;

2. Sampling and certified analysis of soil;

3. Soil preparation;

4. Sowing varieties of Hemp (EU CERTIFIED

SEEDS): FUTURA, JUBILEU, FIBROR,

FELINA, USO 31, SANTICHA, and others

available at the time of sowing;

5. Sampling, certified analysis of soil and plants in

an accredited laboratory and evaluation of the

results;

6. Primary transformation of the harvested plants;

7. Final use in green building;

8. Repeating the cycle.

3 LOCATION

The intervention area is located in the Lama Balice

Regional Natural Park, near the Bari International

Airport, in particular in the quarry in the area, which

has been abandoned for some time. The area was

granted on loan for use and it is approximately 1

hectare.

Figure 1: Preparation of the soil.

4 EXPECTED RESULTS

The actions described below will support the

achievement of the following results:

 Collection of data (agronomic,

hydromorphological, chemical-physical and

biological) to estimate variability in the project

area;

 Demonstration of the advantages deriving from

the use of a phyto-purification system, including

the low environmental impact, the low need for

management and a near zero energy

consumption;

 Validity of the construction of a phytodepuration

system for the remediation of polluted soils,

which represents not only a valid alternative to

traditional remediation techniques, but above all

a solution which, fully respecting the

environment, is close to the needs of the sector

operators;

 Assessment of the ability of different hemp

varieties to sequester CO

in the soil;

 Dissemination of the process in order to make it

a “good practice of new industrial culture and

circular economy” in Europe;

 Attraction of new private investments in the

Puglia Region;

 Increase in added value in the local agro-

industrial sector;

 Ideation/certification of new product patents in

the future;

 Evaluation of the effective phytoremediation

capacity of the different varieties of hemp (as a

hyperaccumulator of heavy metals);

 Organization of workshops to disseminate the

results achieved;

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 Dissemination of results through websites,

deliverables, scientific and technical reports and

organization of a final conference;

 Validate that growing hemp is a “win-win

strategy”.

5 GREEN BUILDING

With the alarming global increase in carbon

emissions and its implications, the need for carbon

neutral or carbon negative technologies is of utmost

importance and urgency. Cellulose aggregate

concrete (CAC) or bio-aggregate concrete has not

only the multi-benefits of low density, better thermal

insulation and low embodied energy, it can also make

use of industrial wastes such as fly ash, slag, etc. One

such CAC is called hemp concrete, which is a

composite made of hemp hurds and lime based

binder. Hemp is one of the world's earliest cultivated

crops and has a variety of applications including

construction.

The bio-composite (hemp-lime) can find the

following building applications:

 Screeds and substrates;

 Masonry cast on site with wooden frame

reinforcement;

 Masonry composed of prefabricated blocks;

 Insulation of cavities;

 Internal and external insulation;

 Roof insulation;

 Insulation of attics.

Bio-composite is a natural material that becomes an

anti-seismic construction technique and that

represents a huge opportunity for the local economy.

Thus hemp can help change the future with a view to

environmental sustainability, prevention and circular

economy. Furthermore, an un-rendered 30 cm thick

hemp concrete wall enables a storage of 36.08 kg of

per m

Figure 2: Hemp building material.

One of the project partners has always adopted

new construction techniques, environmentally

sustainable and perfectly integrated with the

environment.

REFERENCES

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Amaducci, Zatta, Raffanini, Venturi, 2008,

Characterisation of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) roots

under different growing conditions.

Arru et al., 2004.

Baker et al., 1991.

Baxter, J., 2000, Growing Industrial Hemp in Ontario.

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Berger, 1969, The World's Major Fibre Crops - their

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Citterio et al., 2003.

Colao et al., C.A.N.A.P.A. Coltiviamo Azioni per Nutrire,

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Gorchs et al., 2000, Effect of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) in

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Concrete – A Traditional and Novel Green Building

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