Abstract
Phytoremediation is a cheap and environmentally friendly technique in which green plants in situ are used to clean the soil, sediments and water of heavy metals. This study investigated the phytoremediation potential of six naturally occurring macrophytes from Nange (a stream in Buea municipality where cars have been driven into and washed for over 20 years). Plant samples were collected before and after car wash, then analysed for copper, zinc, lead and cadmium accumulation. There was an increase in concentration of all the four heavy metals in water after carwash point, with Zn having the highest concentration (0.27 mg/L). Mean concentration of the heavy metals in the water showed that Zn and Pb had the highest concentrations (0.24 mg/L each) while the least concentration was obtained in Cu (0.12 mg/kg). Heavy metal concentrations in the sediments were higher after car wash point than before. Cadmium had the highest concentration (5.58 mg/kg) while Cu had the least (0.75 mg/kg). Ludwigia peruviana had the highest BAFs for all the heavy metals (22.95 for Cu, 33.41 for Zn, 21.79 for Pb and 7.85 for Cd). Species with the leasts were: Anubias barteri for Cu (7.16), Polygonum persicaria for Zn (14.28), Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum for Pb (11.60) and Vallisneria spiralis for Cd (1.98). L. peruviana had the highest BAC values (Cu = 10.11, Zn = 14.73, Pb = 11.39, Cd = 3.85) and BCF values (Cu = 12.84, Zn = 18.67, Pb = 10.40, Cd = 4.00). A. barteri had the highest TF (Cu = 1.49, Zn = 1.27, Cd = 1.99) except for Pb where both A. barteri and L. peruviana each had a TF of 1.10. While all the six plants were found to be good accumulators of the heavy metals, L. peruviana showed remarkable efficiency indicating that the species is a good candidate for cleaning such environments.
Highlights
Macrophytes are larger plants which actively grow continuously or periodically depending on the availability of required amount of water
This study investigated the phytoremediation potential of six naturally occurring macrophytes from Nange
Mean concentration of the heavy metals in the water showed that Zn and Pb had the highest concentrations (0.24 mg/L each) while the least concentration was obtained in Cu (0.12 mg/kg)
Summary
Macrophytes are larger plants which actively grow continuously or periodically depending on the availability of required amount of water. With soil residence times of thousands of years, pose numerous health dangers to higher organisms They are known to have effect on plant growth, ground cover and negative impact on soil micro flora [6]. Phytoremediation takes the advantage of the unique and selective uptake capabilities of plant root systems, together with the translocation, bioaccumulation, and contaminant degradation abilities of the entire plant body [10] It has gained increasing attention as an emerging cheaper technology. This study investigated the heavy metal uptake potential of six macrophytes from Nange, a stream exposed to heavy metal pollution from agriculture and car wash in Buea municipality, southwest Cameroon in a bit to investigate their phytoremediation capabilities
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