Phytoremediation Potential of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) Seedlings Planted on Lead Contaminated Soil in Katsina, Nigeria

Abstract

The objectives of this study is to investigate the phytoremediation potential of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) seedlings planted on lead contaminated soil in Katsina, Nigeria using appropriate standard methods of physicochemical properties of the soil before and after the experiment and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) measurements for Pb concentrations. The result revealed that the plant had accumulated a significant concentration of Lead in the leaves (18.112mg/kg), shoot (14.221mg/kg) and roots (9.100mg/kg) and there was no significant difference in the concentrations of Lead used in the study at p>0.05. The phytoextraction ability of C. lanatus was assessed in %remediation factor (RF), Bioconcentration factor (BCF) and elemental translocation factor (TF). The amount of Lead in the shoots and roots after 6weeks showed that more concentration of Lead was translocated from the roots to the leaves. The results of this investigation suggests that Citrullus lanatus could be used for phytoextraction of Lead from contaminated soil.