THE EFFECT OF ABATTOIR WASTE WATER ON THE METABOLISM OF COWPEA SEEDLINGS GROWN IN DIESEL CONTAMINATED SOIL

Abstract

The effects of abattoir waste water on the macromolecules (total sugar, protein, amino acid, beta carotene and chlorophyll) of cowpea grown on diesel contaminated soil at various concentrations (0.1%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0%) as well as the activities of alpha amylase, starch phosphorylase and oxidative stress markers (lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase activity, catalase activity and xanthine oxidase) in cowpea seedlings were investigated. The results showed that diesel imposed environmental stress in cowpea seedlings. This is indicated by the decrease in total sugar, total protein and amino acids and a decrease in the chlorophyll contents of the leaves of 12-day-old seedlings. The activities of alpha amylase and starch phosphorylase in the cotyledon of 4-day-old seedlings were inhibited by the various diesel concentrations in the control treatment, but abattoir waste water ameliorated the effect of diesel toxicity. Also, the results indicated that the petroleum product caused a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and a significant decrease in the activities of the antioxidant enzymes: Superoxide dismutase, catalase and xanthine oxidase activities in the control; but abattoir waste water ameliorated the effect of these stresses posed by the diesel contaminated soil. The following observations, therefore, suggest that abattoir wastewater is capable of remediating the undesirable effects of diesel contamination on cowpea seedlings.