Assessment and comparison of phytoremediation potential of selected plant species against endosulfan

Abstract

The present study is focused on assessment of phytoremediation potential of selected plant species by removal of endosulfan from contaminated soil via plant uptake. Eight plant species were selected for pot experiment under controlled condition. From the field monitoring study, Vetiveria zizanioides was found to be accumulate more endosulfan as compared to others. In this experiment, the phytoremediation potential of V. zizanioides is further tested. Apart from V. zizanioides, eight locally available plant species, namely Phragmitis karka, Jatropha curcas, Brassica juncea, Vigna radiata, Solanum lycopersicum, Solanum melongena, Spinacia oleracea and Withania somnifera, were also tested against different concentrations of endosulfan (0–1500 μg g−1) the interval of at 500 μg g−1. Morphological parameters in terms of fresh weight, biomass, shoot length and root length were deliberate just after harvesting. The chlorophyll, carotenoids and lipid peroxidation were estimated in plant samples. Microbial biomass carbon (MBC), dehydrogenase activity (DHA), pH, electrical conductivity and endosulfan concentration were analyzed in soil before and after cropping. The result shows that there was a noteworthy difference at 95% confidence level in growth of experimental plants when compared with control. Enhanced MBC and DHA showed active degradation of endosulfan by microbes that proliferate due to secretion of root exudates of test plants. Among all the test plants, V. zizanioides accumulated the highest and B. juncea accumulated the lowest concentration of endosulfan in their tissues. No significant reduction in lipid peroxidation and chlorophyll content in V. zizanioides supports its suitability for phytoremediation.