Phytoremediation of Copper Contaminated Soil Using Xanthium strumarium L. Plant

Abstract

The heavy metals introduced into the environment by anthropogenic activity cause soil pollution and a decrease in soil quality. The phytoremediation method, which is one of the most suitable methods for removing heavy metals from the soil, is an environmentally friendly and economical method. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of Xanthium strumarium L. plants for phytoextraction of copper (Cu) from the artificially contaminated soil. The cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium L.) plant was grown in copper (Cu) contaminated soil (0, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg Cu kg-1) under greenhouse conditions for 45 days. Copper concentration, chlorophyll content, biomass production, reduced glutathione (GSH), some macro [nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg)] and micro [iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn)] nutrient concentrations of the plants were measured. The Cu applied plants were compared with the control (0 mg Cu kg-1) plant. Increasing doses of Cu have caused a reduction in other measured parameters, except Cu and GSH concentrations. The results show that the cocklebur plant can be used to clean Cu-contaminated soils and is suitable for the phytoremediation method.

Keywords

• Copper
• phytoremediation
• soil pollution
• heavy metal
• Xanthium strumarium L