Sains Malaysiana 38(1): 61-68(2009)

The Potential of Commelina bengalensis, Amaranthus hybridus,

Zea mays  for Phytoremediation of Heavy Metals

from Contaminated Soils

(Potensi Commelina bengalensis, Amaranthus hybridus, Zea mays

bagi Tujuan Fitoremediasi Logam Berat dari Tanah Tercemar)

Kimenyu, P.N., Oyaro*, N., Chacha, J. S.,  & Tsanuo, M. K.

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology

P.O. Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya

Received:  24 Mac 2008 / Accepted:  10 May 2008

ABSTRACT

Population in urban centers in Kenya is increasing rapidly due to rural urban migration in search of better paying jobs. This migration has resulted in unauthorized settlements in the various urban centers. The income per capital of these people is less than a dollar a day. The amount of money is inadequate for survival and this has resulted into cultivating on open grounds for food crops. Unfortunately, these slums have come up along rivers, which carry, wastewater from household and industries. This wastewater is rich in heavy metals and the inhabitants of these areas use this contaminated water for irrigating their crops. The food crops from such areas have very high levels of heavy metals. The present study has screened Zea mays, Commelina bengalensis and Amaranthus hybridus for their ability to bioaccumulate these metals from contaminated soils using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results obtained showed that the C. bengalensis has high potential for removal of Cu, Pb and Cd metals as compared to the Zea mays and Amaranthus hybridus even though, results showed that C. bengalensis has a low potential for the removal of Zn as compared to Zea mays and Amaranthus hybridus.

Keywords:  Amaranthus hybridus; AAS;  Commelina bengalensis; Phytoremediation; Soil; Zea may

ABSTRAK

Populasi pusat bandar di Kenya mengalami pertama bahan yang pesat disebabkan proses migrasi yang tinggi dari luar bandar ke bandar bagi tujuan mendapatkan pekerjaan. Proses migrasi ini mengakibatkan kewujudan kawasan penempatan haram di pelbagai kawasan pusat bandar. Pendapatan per kapita penghuni kawasan ini dianggarkan kurang daripada satu dolar  sehari. Kekurangan kewangan bagi kelangsungan hidup menyebabkan keperluan penanaman bahan-bahan bagi tujuan mendapatkan makanan. Malangnya, proses penanaman ini dilakukan di sepanjang sungai yang mengandungi hasil kumbahan dari kawasan perumahan dan industri. Hasil kumbahan ini mengandungi kandungan logam berat yang tinggi dan penduduk di kawasan ini menggunakan air kumbahan ini bagi tujuan pengairan pertanian. Kajian ini telah menilai tumbuhan Zea mays, Commelina bengalensis dan Amaranthus hybridus untuk mengakumulasi secara biologi logam berat ini dengan menggunakan spektrofotometer serapan atom (AAS). Hasil kajian menunjukkan tumbuhan C. bengalensis mempunyai keupayaan yang tinggi untuk menyingkirkan logam Cu, Pb dan Cd berbanding tumbuhan Zea mays dan Amaranthus hybridus. Namun begitu hasil kajian menunjukkan C. bengalensis mempunyai keupayaan yang rendah untuk menyingkirkan logam Zn berbanding tumbuhan Zea mays and Amaranthus hybridus.

Kata kunci:  Amaranthus. hibridus; AAS;  Commelina bengalensis; fitoremediasi; tanah; Zea mays

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*Pengarang untuk surat menyurat