Phytoextraction Of Heavy Metals In Contaminated Soils Using Amaranthusviridis
Abioye Ismail Olawale
Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Physics Unit, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Nigeria
Babatola Babatunde Keji
Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Physics Unit, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Nigeria
Orisadare Oluseyi Adewale
Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Physics Unit, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Nigeria
Kegbeyale Opeyemi Shade
Department of Civil Engineering, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Nigeria
Keywords: Phytoextraction, Bioconcentration factor, Translocation factor, Contaminated soil, Heavy metals
Abstract
The phytoextraction potential of Amaranthus for heavy metals in soil was investigated in this study using Amaranthusviridis. The screen house experiment was carried out at the Department of Botany, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, to evaluate the phytoremediation potential of Amaranthusviridis on soil samples collected from gold mine site, Itagunmodi, Osun State, Nigeria. The heavy metals analyzed were: Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn) and Iron (Fe), using Atomic Absorption Spectrophometry (AAS) Method. The heavy metals were analyzed in the soil samples before and after phytoremediation process and plant’s parts (Root, Steam and Leaf) grown on the soil.The Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) and Translocation Factor (TF) were also evaluated. The average concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn and Fe in the soil before and after phytoremediation process respectively are 0.012 0.001 ppm, 0.010 0.001; 0.029 0.003, 0.024 0.002; 0.064 0.007, 0.055 0.005; 0.111 0.012, 0.105 0.009; and 0.023 0.004, 0.022 0.003.The BCF > 2 was obtained for Zn, TF < 1 was obtained for Pb and Zn and TF > 1 was obtained for Cd, Cu and Fe. The results suggest that viridis is good for phytoextraction of Cd, Cu, Fe and Zn in contaminated soil.