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[Background] Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Neuroimaging methods have widened the horizons for AD diagnosis and therapy. The goals of this work are the synthesis of 2-(3-fluoropropyl)-6-methoxynaphthalene (5) and its [18F]-radiolabeled counterpart ([18F]Amylovis), the in silico and in vitro comparative evaluations of [18F]Amylovis and [11C]Pittsburg compound B (PIB) and the in vivo preclinical evaluation of [18F]Amylovis in transgenic and wild mice. [Methods] Iron-catalysis cross coupling reaction, followed by fluorination and radiofluorination steps were carried out to obtain 5 and 18F-Amylovis. Protein/Aß plaques binding, biodistribution, PET/CT Imaging and immunohistochemical studies were conducted in healthy/transgenic mice. [Results] The synthesis of 5 was successful obtained. Comparative in silico studies predicting that 5 should have affinity to the Aβ-peptide, mainly through π-π interactions. According to a dynamic simulation study the ligand-Aβ peptide complexes are stable in simulation-time (ΔG = -5.31 kcal/mol). [18F]Amylovis was obtained with satisfactory yield, high radiochemical purity and specific activity. The [18F]Amylovis log Poct/PBS value suggests its potential ability for crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB). According to in vitro assays, [18F]Amylovis has an adequate stability in time. Higher affinity to Aβ plaques were found for [18F]Amylovis (Kd 0.16 nmol/L) than PIB (Kd 8.86 nmol/L) in brain serial sections of 3xTg-AD mice. Biodistribution in healthy mice showed that [18F]Amylovis crosses the BBB with rapid uptake (7 %ID/g at 5 min) and good washout (0.11±0.03 %ID/g at 60 min). Comparative PET dynamic studies of [18F]Amylovis in healthy and transgenic APPSwe/PS1dE9 mice, revealed a significant high uptake in the mice model. [Conclusion] The in silico, in vitro and in vivo results justify that [18F]Amylovis should be studied as a promissory PET imaging agent to detect the presence of Aβ senile plaques., This project was sponsored by Fondo Financiero de Ciencia e Innovación (FONCI) of Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Cuba (CITMA) Also, the present work was supported by the project I-LINK+ 0965 of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spain, and Cuba's National Science and Technology Program (PNCT, 31200).

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of misfolded protein aggregates that form in neurodegenerative processes of the brain is key to providing a robust marker for improved diagnosis and evaluation of treatments. We report the development of advanced radiotracer candidates based on the sulfoxide scaffold found in proton pump inhibitors (lansoprazole, prevacid) with inherent affinity to neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (e.g., dementia with Lewy bodies and the frontotemporal degeneration syndrome). First-in-man results obtained with [18F]lansoprazole and N-methyl-[18F]lansoprazole were used to guide the design of a set of 24 novel molecules with suitable properties for neuroimaging with PET. Compounds were synthesized and characterized pharmacologically, and the binding affinity of the compounds to synthetic human tau-441 fibrils was determined. Selectivity of binding was assessed using α-synuclein and β-amyloid fibrils to address the key misfolded proteins of relevance in dementia. To complete the pharmacokinetic profiling in vitro, plasma protein binding and lipophilicity were investigated. Highly potent and selective new radiotracer candidates were identified for further study.

Tailings are considered one of the most relevant sources of contamination associated with mining activities. Phytostabilization of mine spoils may need the application of the adequate combination of amendments to facilitate plant establishment and reduce their environmental impact. Two pot experiments were set up to assess the capability of 2 inorganic materials (calcium carbonate and a red mud derivate, ViroBindTM ), alone or in combination with organic amendments, for the stabilization of highly acidic trace element-contaminated mine tailings using Atriplex halimus. The effects of the treatments on tailings and porewater physico-chemical properties and trace-element accumulation by the plants, as well as the processes governing trace elements speciation and solubility in soil solution and their bioavailability were modeled. The application of the amendments increased tailings pH and decreased (>99%) trace elements solubility in porewater, but also changed the speciation of soluble Cd, Cu, and Pb. All the treatments made A. halimus growth in the tailings possible; organic amendments increased plant biomass and nutritional status, and reduced trace-element accumulation in the plants. Tailings amendments modified trace-element speciation in porewater (favoring the formation of chlorides and/or organo-metallic forms) and their solubility and plant uptake, which were found to be mainly governed by tailing/porewater pH, electrical conductivity, and organic carbon content, as well as soluble/available trace-element concentrations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2874-2884. © 2016 SETAC.

Trace element (TE)-contaminated soils require the improvement of their physico-chemical properties in order to allow their restoration through phytostabilization technologies. This study aimed to determine the usefulness of oxidative stress related parameters to validate the suitability of two different combinations of organic (solid fraction of pig slurry) and inorganic (paper mill sludge or a commercial red mud derivative) amendments for the phytostabilization of an acidic (4.2) TE-contaminated mine soil from SE Spain. Two wild species (Silybum marianum and Piptatherum miliaceum) were greenhouse cultivated and the development of the plants, their ionome, and oxidative stress related parameters were determined. Both amendment combinations increased significantly soil pH (to 5–6) and soil/pore water total organic C and total N concentrations, allowing an adequate plant growth and development (plants did not grow in untreated soils). The combination of amendments significantly reduced metal availability and showed to be effective (specially the one including the red mud derivative) in limiting shoot TE concentrations, which were all within common ranges (exclusion based tolerance of these species). Both protein carbonylation and lipid peroxidation were significantly higher in S. marianum plants from phytostabilized soils than in those from non-contaminated soils, which confirms the oxidative stress these plants suffer despite their satisfactory growth in the treated soils. P. miliaceum plants showed no differences between phytostabilized and non-contaminated soils. Therefore, the combination of amendments and TE-tolerant autochthonous species would be a suitable option for the phytostabilisation of soils contaminated by mining activities, reducing TE solubility and allowing an adequate plant growth., This work was financed by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (previously Science and Innovation) and EU FEDER Funds through the project CTM2013-48697-C2-1-R, and by Fundación Séneca (Murcia Region) through the projects 19460/PI/14 and 19876/GERM/15-Excellence Project.

International audience; Nickel (Ni) agromining of ultramafic soils has been proposed as an eco-friendly option for metal recovery, which can also improve the fertility and quality of these low productive soils. The selection of adequate plant species and the analysis of their performance under the different climatic conditions are of interest for optimising the process and evaluating its full viability. A one-year field experiment was carried out to evaluate the viability of the two Ni-hyperaccumulating Mediterranean species, Alyssum murale and Leptoplax emarginata, for agromining purposes in ultramafic soils under a humid-temperate climate. Field plots of 50 m(2) were established and the soil was fertilised with gypsum and inorganic NPK fertilisers prior to cropping. Alyssum murale produced a slightly higher Ni yield than L. emarginata, but Ni bioaccumulation was dependent on the plant phenological stage for both species, being maximal at mid-flowering (4.2 and 3.0 kg Ni ha(-1), respectively). In both species, Ni was mainly stored in the leaves, especially in leaves of vegetative stems, but also in flowers and fruits in the case of L. emarginata. The main contributors to Ni yield of A. murale were flowering stems and their leaves, while for L. emarginata they were flowering stems and fruits. Implementing the agromining system increased soil nutrient availability, and modified microbial community structure and metabolic activity (due to fertilisation and plant root activity). The soil bacterial communities were dominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi, and the agromining crops modified the relative abundance of some phyla (increasing Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Nitrospirae and reducing Acidobacteria and Planctomycetes). Cultivating A. murale increased the densities of total culturable bacteria, while L. emarginata selected Ni-tolerant bacteria in its rhizosphere. In summary, both species showed great potential for their use in Ni agromining systems, although optimising soil and crop management practices could improve the phytoextraction efficiency. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The use of As-rich water for irrigation in agricultural soils may result in As accumulation in soil and crops, with the consequent risk of its entry into the food chain. The effectiveness of three different Fe-based materials (a commercial iron oxide (Bayoxide®), lamination slag (a by-product of the hot rolling of steel) and a commercial red mud derivative (ViroBind™)) used as soil amendments to minimise the impact of irrigation with As-rich water in an agricultural soil-plant system was evaluated in a pot experiment. Simultaneously, the influence of organic and inorganic fertilisation (olive oil mill waste compost versus NPK fertiliser) on the effectiveness of iron oxide in As adsorption processes was also assessed. The As adsorption capacity of the amendments was determined in a preliminary batch experiment using sorption isotherms. Then, a pot experiment was carried out in a growth chamber using an agricultural soil (arenosol) from Segovia province (central Spain), amended with the different materials, in which Lactuca sativa (lettuce) was grown for two months. The As adsorption capacity was higher in the commercial iron oxide and in the red mud derivative, which fitted the Freundlich model (no saturation), than in the lamination slag, which fitted the Langmuir model (limited adsorption). All the materials decreased the pore water As concentration compared to the control (by 29–80%), but only iron oxide reduced As availability in the soil, and none of the amendments decreased the As concentration in plant leaves. The combination of iron oxide and compost did not significantly improve plant growth, but increased nutrients (N, K, Ca, Na and Mg) concentrations and availability in the soil and their concentration in the plants, relative to the other treatments and the control. Therefore, this seems to be a viable option to prevent As leaching and improve the plant nutritional status., This work was financed by the Spanish “Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” (MINECO)/EU-FEDER funds (project CTM2013-48697-C2-1-R) and by the Fundación Séneca (Murcia Region, project 11785/PI/09). E. Arco-Lázaro thanks the Spanish MINECO for the FPI grant awarded (ref.: BES-2011-050608).

Abandoned former mine spoil accumulation ponds are important sources of contamination for the surrounding areas, including villages and agricultural land. Characterisation of the contamination in these sites is therefore needed to assess the environmental risk associated with the possible dissemination of the pollutants. With this aim, physico-chemical parameters, trace element (TE) concentrations, solubility and speciation and the ecotoxicity of soils from two different sites, one acidic and the other neutral, within the mining district of La Union-Cartagena (SE Spain) were determined. All the soils had very high total, soluble and extractable TE concentrations, and free ions, metal-sulphates and organo-metal complexes were the predominant metallic forms found in pore water. In the case of As, H 2 AsO 4 − dominated in the samples from the acidic site. The soils showed elevated toxicity for different plant species (bean, sunflower and lettuce growth, as well as lettuce and cress germination, were strongly inhibited) and aquatic organisms (mortality was very high for both Thamnocephalus platyurus and Vibrio fischeri ), due to both their high salinity and TE content. These soils are therefore in need of remediation, to reduce the environmental risk that they pose.

Re-vegetation is the main aim of ecological restoration projects, where the use of native plants is recommended over exogenous species, which may result in an undesirable modification of the ecosystem. A 10-year phytoremediation programme was carried out in a site affected by the toxic spill of pyritic (iron sulphide) residue at Aznalcollar (Spain) in 1998, contaminated with heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) and arsenic. The success of the re-vegetation of the area with native species after a large (6 years) active phytoremediation intervention was evaluated during 4 years as the final step of the ecological restoration process. Mediterranean native shrubs ( Retama sphaerocarpa , Tamarix gallica , Rosmarinus officinalis and Myrtus communis ) were selected and their potential for restoration of the soils affected by the pyritic residue was assessed. Plant survival was negatively affected by soil acidity, which was the main factor controlling trace elements (TEs) solubility and soil microbial biomass, and therefore, soil quality. Nevertheless, the surviving plants were well developed and reached a large size at the end of the experiment (except M. communis ). Trace element transfer from soil to harvestable parts was low for all species, and some species have been able to decrease TEs availability in the soil. The results suggest that R. sphaerocarpa was the most adequate plant species for the restoration of these soils, as it showed the highest survival rate, elevated tolerance to strong soil acidity and low TEs transfer factors.

The feasibility of two organic materials (pig slurry and compost) in combination with hydrated lime for the remediation of a highly acidic trace elements (TEs) contaminated mine soil was assessed in a mesocosm experiment. The effects of the amendments on soil biochemical and ecotoxicological properties were evaluated and related with the main physicochemical characteristics of soil and soil solution. The original soil showed impaired basic ecological functions due to the high availability of TEs, its acidic pH and high salinity. The three amendments slightly reduced the direct and indirect soil toxicity to plants, invertebrates and microorganisms as a consequence of the TEs’ mobility decrease in topsoil, reducing therefore the soil associated risks. The organic amendments, especially compost, thanks to the supply of essential nutrients, were able to improve soil health, as they stimulated plant growth and significantly increased enzyme activities related with the key nutrients in soil. Therefore, the use of compost or pig slurry, in combination with hydrated lime, decreased soil ecotoxicity and seems to be a suitable management strategy for the remediation of highly acidic TEs contaminated soils.

Olive oil industry generates large amounts of olive mill waste (OMW) materials that generally imply serious environmental concern regarding their storage and management. An interesting and sustainable alternative to conventional waste treatments is their use as amendments in the reclamation of trace elements (TEs) contaminated soils through phytotechnologies. These techniques aim to reduce in situ the toxicity and the dissemination of contaminants, and to restore soil capacity to function as a self-sustaining ecosystem. For that purpose, the addition of soil amendments is often necessary to improve soil fertility and facilitate plant establishment. This chapter reviews the use of the different olive mill by-products in phytoremediation strategies for TEs contaminated soils. The effects of fresh versus processed wastes (compost and biochar) on soil TE solubility and availability, plant development and biological indicators of soil recovery have been examined as key aspects of the reclamation process. Both the potential benefits and the limitations or negative effects that their utilization may pose are pointed out.

Wetland plants are considered as suitable biofilters for the removal of metal(loid)s and other contaminants from waters and wastewaters, due to their ability to accumulate and retain the contaminants in their roots. The iron plaque (IP) on the root surface influences the metal(loid)s retention processes. The stimulation of the IP development on roots of Phragmites australis by the external supply of a novel synthetic nanomaterial (nanomaghemite, nFe2O3) and FeSO4 (alone or in combination) was studied. An hydroponic experiment was carried out to evaluate the iron plaque formation after external iron addition, as well as their influence on arsenic immobilization capacity. Microscopic and spectroscopic techniques were utilized to assess the distribution of Fe and As in the roots. The addition of Fe stimulated the generation of the IP, especially when FeSO4 was involved. The nanoparticles alone were not efficient with regard to IP formation or As adsorption, even though they adhered to the root surface and did not enter into epithelial root cells. The combination of FeSO4 and nFe2O3 was the most effective treatment for improving the As removal capacity, and it seems to be an effective way to enhance the rhizofiltration potential of P. australis in As contaminated (waste)waters.

The use of organic wastes as amendments in heavy metal-polluted soils is an ecological integrated option for their recycling. The potential use of alperujo (solid olive-mill waste) compost and pig slurry in phytoremediation strategies has been studied, evaluating their short-term effects on soil health. An aerobic incubation experiment was carried out using an acid mine spoil based soil and a low OM soil from the mining area of La Union (Murcia, Spain). Arsenic and heavy metal solubility in amended and non-amended soils, and microbial parameters were evaluated and related to a phytotoxicity test. The organic amendments provoked an enlargement of the microbial community (compost increased biomass-C from non detected values to 35 μg g −1 in the mine spoil soil, and doubled control values in the low OM soil) and an intensification of its activity (including a twofold increase in nitrification), and significantly enhanced seed germination (increased cress germination by 25% in the mine spoil soil). Organic amendments increased Zn and Pb EDTA-extractable concentrations, and raised As solubility due to the influence of factors such as pH changes, phosphate concentration, and the nature of the organic matter of the amendments. Compost, thanks to the greater persistence of its organic matter in soil, could be recommended for its use in (phyto)stabilisation strategies. However, pig slurry boosted inorganic N content and did not significantly enhance As extractability in soil, so its use could be specifically recommended in As polluted soils.

Summary 1. The objective was to explore the regulatory mechanisms underlying the numerical dynamics of a river stock of European eel Anguilla anguilla based on a purely observational study. We used a 21-year data set on the Rio Esva (Asturias, northwestern Spain) stock of eels, encompassing eel density at an estuary site and at nine sites distributed among three tributaries selected to differ in the distance from the tidal limit and fishery data on glass eels from the nearby Rio Nalon estuary. 2. The abundance of glass eels and estuarine and in-stream densities declined simultaneously over a 15-year period. However, following a historical minimum in the abundance of glass eels around the year 2000, the density continued to decline in the estuary whereas density in the streams began an increase that has continued to the present. 3. In-stream cohort mortality rate (Z) varied from 0.0016 day−1 to only 0.0003 day−1 (on an annual basis from 0.57 to 0.099 year−1). The negative effects of intra-cohort and inter-cohort densities on mortality rate emphasized the responses of the riverine stock to compensatory density-dependence. As a consequence, the number of eels surviving to commence the silvering stage was similar in magnitude in the strongest and weakest cohorts. 4. These results suggest that, even if the low abundance of glass eels persists, in-stream density may increase towards a stable value regulated by in-stream density-dependence.

Tailings are considered one of the most relevant sources of contamination associated with mining activities. Phytostabilization of mine spoils may need the application of the adequate combination of amendments to facilitate plant establishment and reduce their environmental impact. Two pot experiments were set up to assess the capability of 2 inorganic materials (calcium carbonate and a red mud derivate, ViroBind

14 páginas.-- 2 figuras.-- 2 tablas.-- 124 referencias, Trace elements stabilization in contaminated soils is frequently the most convenient option for the remediation of large areas with moderate to high levels of contaminants. The use of organic and/or inorganic amendments is often necessary for the amelioration of the soil in order to immobilize trace metals and metalloids and prevent their transfer to groundwater or to any living organism in the soil, and to allow the establishment of plants when the aim is the regeneration of a vegetation cover. The great upsurge of the agri-food industry in recent decades has led to the generation of huge amounts of waste materials and byproducts throughout the entire cycle of food production and processing. Some of these byproducts, which may give rise to serious environmental concerns regarding their accumulation, handling and transformation, have been satisfactorily used as amendments in the remediation of trace elements contaminated soils. This review offers a general outline of the use of food byproducts from olive oil, sugar beet, wine, and certain other industries for the stabilization of trace metals and metalloids in the soil. Both the benefits of using these materials and the potential limitations or inconveniences that their utilization may pose, as well as some considerations regarding possible future uses and challenges, are pointed out in the text., the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN), the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO), the EU (FEDER funds), and the Fundación Séneca (Murcia Region) for the financial support received through the projects CTM2010-21922-C02-01, AGL2011-23617, CTM2013-48697-C2-1-R, and 11785/PI/09. Part of R. Clemente's salary is paid by the European Social Fund of the EU.

A mesocosm experiment, in columns, was conducted in a growth chamber to assess the viability of two organic materials (pig slurry and compost; in combination with hydrated lime) for the remediation of a highly acidic and trace elements (TEs) contaminated mine soil and the reduction of its associated leaching risks. Their influence on the evolution throughout the soil depth of the physicochemical properties (including TEs mobility) of the soil and soil solution (in situ periodic collection) and on Lolium perenne growth and foliar TEs accumulation was evaluated. Soluble and extractable concentrations of the different TEs were considerably high, although the organic amendments (with lime) and lime addition successfully decreased TEs mobility in the top soil layer, as a consequence of a rise in pH and changes in the redox conditions. Compost and pig slurry increased the soluble organic-C and dissolved N, K and P of the soil, producing a certain downwards displacement of N and K. The organic amendments allowed the growth of L. perenne in the soil, thus indicating improvement of soil conditions, but elevated TEs availability in the soil led to toxicity symptoms and abnormally high TEs concentrations in the plants. An evaluation of the functioning and ecotoxicological risks of the remediated soils is reported in part II: this allows verification of the viability of the amendments for remediation strategies.

The efficiency of a remediation strategy was evaluated in a mine soil highly contaminated with trace elements (TEs) by microbiological, ecotoxicological and physicochemical parameters of the soil and soil solution (extracted in situ), as a novel and integrative methodology for assessing recovery of soil health. A 2.5-year field phytostabilisation experiment was carried out using olive mill-waste compost, pig slurry and hydrated lime as amendments, and a native halophytic shrub (Atriplex halimus L.). Comparing with non-treated soil, the addition of the amendments increased soil pH and reduced TEs availability, favoured the development of a sustainable vegetation cover (especially the organic materials), stimulated soil microorganisms (increasing microbial biomass, activity and functional diversity, and reducing stress) and reduced direct and indirect soil toxicity (i.e., its potential associated risks). Therefore, under semi-arid conditions, the use of compost and pig slurry with A. halimus is an effective phytostabilisation strategy to improve soil health of nutrient-poor soils with high TEs concentrations, by improving the habitat function of the soil ecosystem, the reactivation of the biogeochemical cycles of essential nutrients, and the reduction of TEs dissemination and their environmental impact.

Amending contaminated soils with organic wastes can influence trace element mobility and toxicity. Soluble concentrations of metals and arsenic were measured in pore water and aqueous soil extracts following the amendment of a heavily contaminated mine soil with compost and biochar (10% v:v) in a pot experiment. Speciation modelling and toxicity assays (Vibrio fischeri luminescence inhibition and Lolium perenne germination) were performed to discriminate mechanisms controlling metal mobility and assess toxicity risk thereafter. Biochar reduced free metal concentrations furthest but dissolved organic carbon primarily controlled metal mobility after compost amendment. Individually, both amendments induced considerable solubilisation of arsenic to pore water (>2500 μg l(-1)) related to pH and soluble phosphate but combining amendments most effectively reduced toxicity due to simultaneous reductions in extractable metals and increases in soluble nutrients (P). Thus the measure-monitor-model approach taken determined that combining the amendments was most effective at mitigating attendant toxicity risk.

Resumen de Tesis Doctoral (con Mención Europea), Departamento de Conservación de Suelos y Agua y Manejo de Residuos Orgánicos, CEBAS-CSIC. Departamento de Biología Animal, Ecología, Parasitología, Edafología y Química Agrícola, Universidad de Salamanca. 1 de Marzo 2013, Directores: Dra. Mª Pilar Bernal Calderón y Dr. Rafael Clemente Carrillo. La contaminación de suelos por elementos traza (ETs) debida a la actividad minera conlleva la degradación de su capacidad para desarrollar plenamente sus funciones ecológicas potenciales, pudiendo además afectar a los ecosistemas adyacentes. En este sentido, una de las técnicas medioambientalmente más respetuosas para la recuperación de zonas mineras es la fitoestabilización. El objetivo principal de la presente investigación fue estudiar, en suelos mineros contaminados por ETs, el efecto de la aplicación de técnicas de fitoestabilización basadas en el uso de enmiendas orgánicas y plantas autóctonas, sobre las propiedades que determinan la salud del suelo. Así, se desarrollaron ensayos bajo tres escalas de experimentación: laboratorio, cámara de cultivo y campo, utilizando tres suelos de la Sierra Minera de La Unión-Cartagena (Murcia) con diferente grado de contaminación (moderado, alto y extremo); como enmiendas, compost de alperujo, purín de cerdo, cal hidratada y fertilizante NPK; y tres especies vegetales, Lolium perenne, Atriplex halimus y Bituminaria bituminosa. Los resultados indicaron que la adición de los materiales orgánicos mejoró la función hábitat del ecosistema edáfico, reactivó los ciclos biogeoquímicos de los principales elementos y redujo la dispersión de los ETs a los ecosistemas adyacentes, mejorando por tanto, la salud y funcionalidad de los suelos. Todo ello mostró que la utilización de compost de alperujo y de purín de cerdo, especialmente en combinación con A. halimus, es una estrategia eficaz para la recuperación de la salud de los suelos contaminados propios de la Sierra Minera de La Unión, siendo esta fitotecnología aplicable a gran escala y extrapolable a suelos con similares características.

The applicability of a mature compost as a soil amendment to promote the growth of native species for the phytorestoration of a mine-affected soil from a semi-arid area (SE Spain), contaminated with trace elements (As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn), was evaluated in a 2-year field experiment. The effects of an inorganic fertiliser were also determined for comparison. Bituminaria bituminosa was the selected native plant since it is a leguminous species adapted to the particular local pedoclimatic conditions. Compost addition increased total organic-C concentrations in soil with respect to the control and fertiliser treatments, maintained elevated available P concentrations throughout the duration of the experiment and stimulated soil microbial biomass, while trace elements extractability in the soil was rather low due to the calcareous nature of the soil and almost unaltered in the different treatments. Tissue concentrations of P and K in B. bituminosa increased after the addition of compost, associated with growth stimulation. Leaf Cu concentration was also increased by the amendments, although overall the trace elements concentrations can be considered non-toxic. In addition, the spontaneous colonisation of the plots by a total of 29 species of 15 different families at the end of the experiment produced a greater vegetation cover, especially in plots amended with compost. Therefore, the use of compost as a soil amendment appears to be useful for the promotion of a vegetation cover and the phytostabilisation of moderately contaminated soils under semi-arid conditions.