Heavy metal contamination of agricultural lands may give rise to health risks by cultivation and consumption of food crops from such lands, as well as result in economic loss. Phytoremediation is an eco-friendly and cost-effective approach to restore contaminated soil. However, the restoration process is slow and its sustainability is difficult to maintain. Bioenergy crops may provide alternative economic benefits to agriculture sector and reduce the risks associated with transfering heavy metals into food webs. In this study, a field experiment was carried out to determine the level of reclamation that would be attained in severely heavy metal-contaminated land by planting cassava (Manihot esculenta), a bioenergy crop. The results showed that cassava could grow well on the derelict land, with a fresh tuber yield of 23.13–26.22 t ha⁻¹ in one growing season, which could potentially produce 3680–4160 L ha⁻¹ bioethanol. The economic income of the cassava was estimated to be 11.6–13.1 × 10³ CNY ha⁻¹. Among the cassava tissues, metal concentrations were lowest in the tuber. The soil fertility and acidity were ameliorated after cassava plantation, and the mobile and bioavailable metal fractions in the soils were decreased. The cultivation of cassava as a renewable energy crop appears applicable for sustainable utilization and reclamation of heavy metal-contaminated land.

耕地的重金属污染可能会因耕种和食用这些土地而造成健康风险，并造成经济损失。植物修复是一种生态友好且具有成本效益的方法，可以修复受污染的土壤。但是，恢复过程缓慢，并且其可持续性难以维护。生物能源作物可以为农业部门提供替代的经济利益，并减少与将重金属转移到食物网有关的风险。在这项研究中，进行了一项野外试验，以确定通过种植木薯（Manihot esculenta）在严重重金属污染的土地上将达到的开垦水平。），一种生物能源作物。结果表明，木薯在荒漠土地上可以很好地生长，在一个生长季节中的新鲜块茎产量为23.13–26.22 t ha ^-1，可能产生3680–4160 L ha ^-1生物乙醇。木薯的经济收入估计为11.6-13.1×10 ³ CNY ha ^-1。在木薯组织中，块茎中的金属浓度最低。木薯种植后，土壤肥力和酸度得到改善，土壤中可移动和可利用的金属部分减少。木薯作为可再生能源作物的种植似乎适用于重金属污染土地的可持续利用和开垦。