Pollution Research Paper

Vol 40, Issue 3, 2021; Page No.(986-994 )

PHYTOREMEDIATION POTENTIAL OF ELEMENTS BY WEED SPECIES AROUND SOLID WASTE DUMPING GROUND, BERHAMPUR, WEST BENGAL, INDIA

SUDIPTA BISWAS, SOUMENDRA NATH TALAPATRA AND PHANI BHUSAN GHOSH

Abstract

Phytoremediation capability of weed species (Lantana camara and Sida sp.) for heavy elements like lead(Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic(As) in the soil around the solid waste dumping site was assessed. This study revealed that the average level (mg/kg) of occurrence of these elements in surface soil followed the order of Pb (51.89) > As (6.25) > Cd (2.45), below the prescribed level of Indian standards. Similar pattern of elemental distributions was also recorded in cases of soil humus, sub-soil and various weed segments like root, stem, and leaf. Leaf components of these species could be used As bio-indicator as well as phytoextractor for studied toxic elements. The bio-concentration soil factors (BCSF) were <1 and TF values were >1, indicating efficient transfer of these elements from root to leaf. Negative percentage values of re-translocation (RT) factor were observed signifying that Sida sp. excreted more Pb and Cd through senescent leaves while L. camara excreted more As than Sida sp. to the surface soil. Hence, both the species demonstrated higher capacity to accumulate Pb and Cd into the leaves as hyper-accumulator and could be efficiently used for phyto-remediation for these toxic elements from the soil.