Phytoremediation of lead polluted soil around mechanic workshop in Afor Oru Ahiazu Mbaise using waterleaf (<i>Talinum Triangulare</i>)

Abstract

Pollution of soil with heavy metals is a major environmental concern due to the disposal of urban and industrial waste generated by mostly anthropogenic activities. Thus, through Phytoremediation which is a plant-based approach, polluted soils are remediated using plants. In this research, the potential of Waterleaf (Talinum Triangulare) to absorb Lead from composite soil sample and consequently to remediate it,was investigated.A farmland around a Mechanic workshop located at Afor Oru Market in Ahiazu Local Government Area, Imo State was used . An uncontaminated soil was gotten from a piece of farmland in Oru Community in Ahiazu Mbaise, Imo State. This land has been lain fallow for more than five years. The Waterleaf (Talinum Triangulare) stands of 26days were collected from the nursery bed in Umuireaku Oru community in Mbaise. The contaminated Soil samples and Plant samples were analyzed for Lead concentration before and after graded periods of growth for six weeks using the Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The contaminated soil samples contained lead at 0 week as 438.499ppm, 2 weeks as 413.217ppm, and 4weeks as 387.935ppm and 6weeks as 362. 431ppm. The uncontaminated soil sample which served as the control sample contained 2. 310ppm.Plant samples contained 2.948ppm at 0week, 3.327ppm at 2weeks, 3.726 at 4weeks and 4.125 at 6weeks. However, after six weeks of planting the result showed reduction of Lead concentration in the soil by 17.4% and accumulation in the waterleaf (Talinum Triangulare) by 39.9%. The transfer factor for the Lead heavy metal assayed increased steadily. Thus, this demonstrated the ability of waterleaf (Talinum Triangulare) to absorb Lead heavy metal and consequently remediate the contaminated soil sample.