ENHANCING PHYTOREMEDIATION OF Pb BY TREATING SOIL WITH CITRIC ACID AND GROWING WHITE JUTE (Corchorus capsularis, L.), AND RIVER RED GUM (Eucalyptus camaldulensis)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Soils, Water and Environ. Res. Inst., ARC, Giza, Egypt

2 Soils, Water and Environ. Res. Inst., Agric. Res. Cent. (ARC), Egypt

Abstract

Removal of toxic Pb metals from soil (phytoremediation) was evaluated using white jute (Corchorus capsularis, L.) andriver red gum, (Eucalyptus camaldulensis)in presence of citric acid (CA). Lead was added to soil at 0, 400, 800 and 1200 mg Pb kg-1 soil as lead nitrate. Plant growth (120-day growth) of jute decreased with addition of Pb by 20 to 46% in white jute with no CA  and 11 to 33% with CA; 18 to 40% for red gumwith no CA and 10 to 26% with CA. Pb uptake increased with increased addition of Pb. River red gum was more efficient as a phyto-remediator than jute. Citric acid enhanced the efficiency of both plants to extract Pb from soil. 

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