Phytoremediation of Heavy Metals Polluted Soil from the Etelebou Dumpsite in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

The uncontrolled man’s action has resulted into ecological Armageddon, and natures requite in a myriad form; of such man’s action is the contamination of the soil with heavy metals. The understanding that man is the precipice of his actions, account phytoremediation a costless, and ecofriendly process for the restoration of the shrinking soils. The adoption of Banana, Guava and Pawpaw fruits for the decontamination of heavy metal polluted soil from the Etelebou dumpsite form the bases of this study. The study recorded the presence of Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Fe, cu and Zn in the soil and in the fruits respectively. The account of the element in the fruit is in a multifold of the desire level due to the contaminated soil. The plants poses the ability to bioaccumulates, translocation of heavy metals in varied quantities in the plants aerial parts (fruits). The extractions and accumulation of the metals were higher in the fruit peels than the edible parts, serving a good hypercummulator to the metals. The study demonstrated hyperaccumulative ability of plant, whose fruits should not be considered for consumption for the purpose of these exercise. Theplants via its fruits, if successfully applied can served cost effective, ecofriendly and easy decontamination purposes for heavy metal polluted soils.