Abstract

Phytoremediation technique uses plants parts to remove, extract, and absorb heavy or toxic matter from soil and water. In the present study, Catharanthusroseus (Periwinkle) and Nerium Oleander (Oleander) were used for removing Chromium (Cr) and Lead (Pb) metals. These plant species were seeded in polyethylene pots containing 8kg of soil. Each pot was irrigated with wastewater for four months (May, June, July and August) and accumulation of the considered metals was analyzed after every month for leaf, stem and root by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). This experimental work was carried out in the laboratories of Water Desalination Researches Unit - Building and Construction Engineering Department and Environmental Research Centre at the University of Technology in Baghdad City, Iraq. The concentration of Cr was found to be increased with time. High Cr concentration, 20.34 mg/kg, was recorded at August in leaf of Periwinkle and 19.61 mg/kg in root of Oleander in case of using 100% wastewater (WW). While, for Pb, the maximum concentration, 22 mg/kg, was recorded in June in leaf of Periwinkle and 19.5 mg/kg in steam of Oleander. Accordingly, Oleander has the maximum removal efficiency.

Highlights

  • Water, air and soil pollution is the main environmental issue faced by the modern society

  • The heavy metals may come from natural sources, leached from rocks and soils according to their geochemical mobility or come from anthropogenic sources, as a result of human land occupation and industrial pollution [3]

  • The concentration of Cr and Pb heavy metals that were found in the parts of plants which were irrigated with WW during the experimental period is shown in Tables I and II

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Summary

Introduction

Air and soil pollution is the main environmental issue faced by the modern society. Contaminated soils and waters pose a major environmental and human health problem [2]. The heavy metals may come from natural sources, leached from rocks and soils according to their geochemical mobility or come from anthropogenic sources, as a result of human land occupation and industrial pollution [3]. Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that uses various plants to degrade, extract, contain, or immobilize contaminants from soil and water. This technology has received much attention lately as an innovative, costeffective alternative to the more established treatment methods used at hazardous waste sites [6]. The objective of this research is to determine the ability of Catharanthusroseus (Periwinkle) and Nerium oleander (Oleander) plants to remove Chromium (Cr) and Lead (Pb) ions from soil by irrigating with wastewater (WW) and to determine the effectiveness of these plants in removing these metals

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