PHYTOREMEDIATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL USING NO-EDIBLE PLANTS

Abstract

Waste disposal in the environment has become a menace to various communities and their inhabitants especially in developing countries. Heavy metals being widespread and persistent pollutants have the tendency to concentrate in the environment and enter the human body. In this research, the remediation was monitored for 4 weeks during which the plants were grown in soils contaminated with Cd and Pb (heavy metals) at 0.1M, 0.05M and 0.025M concentrations of the metals. They were analyzed biweekly to check the ability of these plants to effect remediation and the rate at which the remediation was done. The digested plant and soil samples were analysed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The results showed that the remediation abilities of the plants on the Pb contaminated soils were in this order, Amaranthus spinosus> Cynodon dactylon; and their remediation abilities on Cd contaminated soil were Cynodon dactylon> Amaranthus spinosus. It can then be stated that Cynodan dactylon and Amaranthus spinosus were good at remediating Pb and Cd contaminated soils; but Amaranthus spinosus was better for the remediation of Pb contaminated processes. It is therefore recommended that Amaranthus spinosus and Cynodon dactylon be used to remediate Pb and Cd contaminated soils since they are capable, can create green areas in the environment and the process is cost effective especially for third world nations.