Phytoremediation of Zinc and Lead from Polluted Soils Using Sunflower

Abstract

Phytoremediation is a new, cost-effective remediation technique. Sunflower, a plant grown in Pb- and Zn-contaminated soils, underwent pot trials to examine its biomass and determine how well may remove the metals. According to the findings, the fresh and dry weights of the developing plants gradually reduced, as the amount of heavy metals in the soil increased. The fresh weights of the shoot and root were decreased by the application of 835 mg/kg soil of Pb and 598 mg/kg Zn. The maximum concentration of lead and zinc in the shoot (146.27and 277.83 mg/kg) and roots (589.77 and 287.97 mg/kg, respectively) was recorded in the plant cultivated in contaminated soil. The root growing on soil treated with 835 mg/kg had the maximum bioaccumulation of lead. The control soil had the longest plant shoot and root lengths, averaging 75.67 cm and 9.5 cm, respectively. Under a soil Pb concentration of 835 mg/kg, the shortest plants had shoots that measured 58.5 cm and roots that measured 6 cm. Similarly, when the soil was treated with 598 mg/kg soil zinc, the plant?s shoot and root decreased dramatically by 55.67 cm and 7 cm, respectively. As a result, the study shows that sunflower plants were better at absorbing lead and zinc, and we recommend using them to clean up soil that has been contaminated with these metals. . KEYWORDS :Sunflower, Heavy Metals, Lead, Phytoremediation, Zinc