Effects of Carbonised Biomaterial Application on Nutrient and Heavy Metal Bioavailabity in Maize (<i>Zea Mays</i>) Plant

Abstract

Many contaminants and essential soil nutrients enter plant through the soil environments and there is a drive to limit heavy metals in the soil due to their toxicity to plant and human. Bioavailable metals in contaminated soils can be remediated using green inorganic natural material such as carbonized biomaterials that have the capacity to mitigate metal availability in plant. The soil samples used for this study were obtained from open dumpsites in Benin City. Carbonized biomaterial was prepared from coconut shell. Pot experiments were carried out to assess the influence of the carbonized biomaterial on bioavailable heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As) and nutrients in maize plant. Evaluation of the carbonized biomaterial effects on the bioavailability of metals in the plant showed a gradual decrease in the concentrations of heavy metals as the rate of carbonized biomaterial increases from 0 to 40%. Assessment of carbonized biomaterial in the plant after six weeks of planting revealed increase in plant nutrients concentration as the rate of treatment increases. Therefore, the carbonized biomaterial can be used to reduce bioavailability of metals at the same time increasing the concentration of essential nutrients.