Phytoremediation of copper-contaminated sewage sludge by tropical plants

Heavy metals are serious environmental pollutants,particularly in areas with anthropogenic activities. heavy metal pollution in soil is a global environmental problem. an experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of jatropha curcas,acacia mangium and hopea odorata as phytoremediators capable of absorbing cu from soil contaminated with sewage sludge. seedlings were planted on six growth media as follows: t0 (100% soil),t1 (80% soil + 20% sludge),t2 (60% soil + 40% sludge),t3 (40% soil + 60% sludge),t4 (20% soil + 80% sludge) and t5 (100% sludge). the highest cu accumulation (27.6 ppm) was recorded in 100% sewage sludge. roots showed the highest cu concentration. cu was highest in j. curcas. acacia mangium and h. odorata showed the highest bioconcentration factor (bcf) in the control,whereas j. curcas showed the highest bcf in t1 (20% sludge). the highest translocation factor (tf) for j. curcas and a. mangium were in t5 (100% sludge),whereas t2 (40% sludge) showed the highest tf for h. odorata. jatropha curcas and a. mangium had high tf and low bcf in soil with higher cu concentrations. therefore,j. curcas and a. mangium could be used to decontaminate cu-polluted soil. © forest research institute malaysia.