Phytoremediation of Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Using Leucaena Leucocephala

Seminar paper from the year 2014 in the subject Nature Protection, Landscape Conservation, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, language: English, abstract: This study investigated the use of Leucaena leucocephala as a potential plant species for phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils. Tailings from the Sansu Tailings Dam was amended with top soil from Mampanhwe and three supplements to produce 10 treatments regimes.
Treatment soils of 5 kg were put in poly-pots. Each of the 10 treatments was replicated 6 times and harvesting was done twice at 45 and 75 days after transplanting. A total of 120 poly-pots were prepared. The concentrations of six heavy metals (As, Fe, Pb, Zn, Cd and Cu) were determined, in samples of shoots and roots from each harvest, using an Atomic Absorption Spectrometer.

The levels of heavy metals were highest in the roots than in the shoot. The fertilizer (NPK) and the organic manure (PKC) did not have any effect on the biomass.

In general the levels of heavy metal accumulation increased with the addition of the supplements (Chelator, PKC and NPK) and performed much better than the tailings/soil mixtures.

The results show that the plant is a phytoextractor and when aided with the addition of supplements, could be more effective in accumulation of heavy metals as a hyperaccumulator on long term cultivation.