%0 Journal Article
%T A Study of the Uptake of Heavy Metals by Plants near Metal-Scrap Dumpsite in Zaria, Nigeria
%A Zakka Israila Yashim
%A Omoniyi Kehinde Israel
%A Musa Hannatu
%J Journal of Applied Chemistry
%D 2014
%R 10.1155/2014/394650
%X The research work investigates the metal uptake of the plants Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato), Rumex acetosa (sorrel), and Solanum melongena (garden egg) collected from experimental sites and a control area in Zaria, Nigeria. The concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, and Zn in different parts of each of the plant species grown on the experimental and control soils were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The experimental levels of the metals were higher than those at the control site and the limits recommended by Food and Agricultural Organisation/World Health Organisation (FAO/WHO). Solanum melongena showed bioaccumulation factor (BF) and transfer factor (TF) greater than 1 for Cd, Pb, and Mn; Rumex acetosa showed BF and TF greater than 1 for Mn and Zn, and TF was greater than 1 for Cu and Fe; Lycopersicon esculentum had only the TF for Fe, Pb, Mn, and Zn greater than 1. This results implies that Solanum melongena and Rumex acetosa plants can be effectively used for phytoremediation of Cd, Pb, Mn, and Zn from the dumpsite. Pearson¡¯s correlation coefficient values were greater than 0.75 for all the metals studied which indicated that the high metal level in the experimental soil was a result of the metal-scrap. 1. Introduction Heavy metals constitute a group of metals and metalloids with atomic density greater than 4£¿g/cm3 or 5 times or more greater than water [1]. The toxicity of heavy metals is a problem of increasing significance for ecological, nutritional, and environmental reasons. It is evident that, among others, manufacturing activities involving the disposal of metal containing materials into the biosphere may soon trigger a silent epidemic of environmental metal poisoning [2]. Toxic metals cannot be biodegraded. They have long half-life in the environment and biological system; hence, they pose an environmental problem [3, 4]. Despite the best attempts at waste avoidance, reduction, reuse, and recovery, landfill and disposal of metal still constitute a principal focus by environmental scientist. It has been observed that the larger the urban area, the lower the quality of the environment. So solid waste disposal and management have reached a critical stage in major towns and cities of Nigeria [5]. Environmental restoration of metal-polluted soils using a plant-based technology has attracted increasing interest in the last two decades. Phytoremediation has been developed as a cost effective and environmentally friendly remediation method of contaminated soils. It is an economically attractive approach to decontaminate soils
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jac/2014/394650/