Potentials of typical plant species from rewetted fenlands for the supply of strategic elements
Abstract Rewetting of peatlands requires the development of new biomass utilization pathways. The supply of strategic elements with key importance for the development of priority technologies, such as germanium (Ge), silicon (Si) and rare earth elements, from fenland plants is one option. To provide...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05180-0 |
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| author | Karina Michalska Monika Heiermann Carsten Lühr Björn Meermann Ralf Pecenka Andreas Schulz Nicole Langhammer Susanne Theuerl Annette Prochnow |
| author_facet | Karina Michalska Monika Heiermann Carsten Lühr Björn Meermann Ralf Pecenka Andreas Schulz Nicole Langhammer Susanne Theuerl Annette Prochnow |
| author_sort | Karina Michalska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Rewetting of peatlands requires the development of new biomass utilization pathways. The supply of strategic elements with key importance for the development of priority technologies, such as germanium (Ge), silicon (Si) and rare earth elements, from fenland plants is one option. To provide a first estimation of the potential, concentrations of strategic elements were determined in nine biomass samples covering typical fenland vegetation in northeast Germany. Subsequently, a simplified estimation of potential revenue from strategic element recovery was made. The analysed plant species can be classified as high or intermediate Si plant accumulators with highest contents of more than 16.0 g Si kg−1 dry mass (DM) in sedges and common reeds. Ge concentrations were lower with reed canary grass containing the highest amounts of 465.3 µg Ge kg−1 DM. Simultaneous acquisition of Ge and Si could provide higher total element yields and revenues of up to 500 $ ha−1. In contrast, the potentials for supplying rare earth elements appeared to be very low, with common reed containing the highest sum of rare earth elements of 437.4 µg kg−1 DM. Biomass from rewetted fenlands is capable of accumulating strategic elements. More knowledge is required to understand the factors affecting their accumulation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3dcf9ccbf9a24bb3a2ce6cab7868793e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-3dcf9ccbf9a24bb3a2ce6cab7868793e2025-08-20T02:36:50ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-06-0115111410.1038/s41598-025-05180-0Potentials of typical plant species from rewetted fenlands for the supply of strategic elementsKarina Michalska0Monika Heiermann1Carsten Lühr2Björn Meermann3Ralf Pecenka4Andreas Schulz5Nicole Langhammer6Susanne Theuerl7Annette Prochnow8Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)Division 1.1 – Inorganic Trace Analysis, Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM)Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)Division 1.1 – Inorganic Trace Analysis, Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM)Division 1.1 – Inorganic Trace Analysis, Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM)Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)Abstract Rewetting of peatlands requires the development of new biomass utilization pathways. The supply of strategic elements with key importance for the development of priority technologies, such as germanium (Ge), silicon (Si) and rare earth elements, from fenland plants is one option. To provide a first estimation of the potential, concentrations of strategic elements were determined in nine biomass samples covering typical fenland vegetation in northeast Germany. Subsequently, a simplified estimation of potential revenue from strategic element recovery was made. The analysed plant species can be classified as high or intermediate Si plant accumulators with highest contents of more than 16.0 g Si kg−1 dry mass (DM) in sedges and common reeds. Ge concentrations were lower with reed canary grass containing the highest amounts of 465.3 µg Ge kg−1 DM. Simultaneous acquisition of Ge and Si could provide higher total element yields and revenues of up to 500 $ ha−1. In contrast, the potentials for supplying rare earth elements appeared to be very low, with common reed containing the highest sum of rare earth elements of 437.4 µg kg−1 DM. Biomass from rewetted fenlands is capable of accumulating strategic elements. More knowledge is required to understand the factors affecting their accumulation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05180-0PeatlandsPaludicultureGeSiRare earth elementsBioeconomy |
| spellingShingle | Karina Michalska Monika Heiermann Carsten Lühr Björn Meermann Ralf Pecenka Andreas Schulz Nicole Langhammer Susanne Theuerl Annette Prochnow Potentials of typical plant species from rewetted fenlands for the supply of strategic elements Scientific Reports Peatlands Paludiculture Ge Si Rare earth elements Bioeconomy |
| title | Potentials of typical plant species from rewetted fenlands for the supply of strategic elements |
| title_full | Potentials of typical plant species from rewetted fenlands for the supply of strategic elements |
| title_fullStr | Potentials of typical plant species from rewetted fenlands for the supply of strategic elements |
| title_full_unstemmed | Potentials of typical plant species from rewetted fenlands for the supply of strategic elements |
| title_short | Potentials of typical plant species from rewetted fenlands for the supply of strategic elements |
| title_sort | potentials of typical plant species from rewetted fenlands for the supply of strategic elements |
| topic | Peatlands Paludiculture Ge Si Rare earth elements Bioeconomy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05180-0 |
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