Phytoremediation of Pb and Ni Contaminated Soils Using Catharanthus roseus (L.)
Journal Title: Universal Journal of Environmental Research and Technology - Year 2013, Vol 3, Issue 4
Abstract
Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that uses various plants to degrade, extract, contain or immobilize contaminants from soil and water. Plants can help clean up many kinds of pollution including metals, pesticides, explosives and oil. This technology has been receiving attention as an innovative, cost-effective alternative to the more established treatment methods used at hazardous waste sites. Contaminated soils and waters pose a major environmental and human health problem. Oil refineries and chemical plants produce billions of gallons of contaminated wastewater each year. Soils may become contaminated by the accumulation of heavy metals and metalloids through emissions from the rapidly expanding industrial areas, mine tailings, disposal of high metal wastes, leaded gasoline and paints, land application of fertilizers, animal manures, sewage sludge, pesticides, waste water irrigation, coal combustion residues, spillage of petrochemicals and atmospheric deposition. In the present study Catharanthus roseus has been used for lead and nickel phytoremediation. Pot experiments were conducted using aqueous solutions of lead and nickel. The two metal solutions were added to the pots for a period of 60 days on alternate days. Accumulations of the heavy metals were analyzed after 20, 40 and 60 days in leaves, stem and roots by AAS. The results showed that lead and nickel highly accumulated by the roots than stem and leaves. It was concluded that the plant species was a good accumulator of lead and nickel.
Authors and Affiliations
V. Subhashini, A. V. V. S. Swamy
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP31841
- DOI -
- Views 366
- Downloads 1
Cotton Dyeing with Natural Dye Extracted from Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Peel
Use of natural dyes has increased several folds in the past few years due to the eco-friendly approach of the people. This paper concerns with the purification of natural dyestuff extracted from an abundantly occurring...
Measuring Environmental Awareness in Nineteen States in India
In order to improve environmental awareness, it is important to understand the current situation: what is the level of environmental awareness today and which factors affect it. When studying or improving the level of...
Ecological Evaluation of Seasonal Dynamism in Physicochemical Characteristics of Tropical Reservoir in Central India
The present study was carried out to make an ecological evaluation of physico – chemical characteristics in Barna reservoir during various seasons. Barna reservoir is a tropical reservoir which is constructed on river...
Feasibility Studies for Reuse of Constructed Wetlands Treating Simulated Nickel Containing Groundwater
Constructed wetlands are considered as low cost treatment option for domestic and industrial wastewater in the recent decades. The presence of toxic heavy metals in wastewater is a problematic issue, since these heavy...
New locality record of Montane Trinket snake Coelognathus helena monticollaris (Schulz, 1992) from Vansda National Park, Navsari, Gujarat, India
During a visit to the Vansda National Park (VNP), Gujarat, a male specimen of Montane Trinket snake Coelognathus helena monticollaris, Sculz, 1992, (20o45' 25.55" N 73o28' 36.49" E) was spotted resting near a water body...