Potential of Two Vegetable Plants in Reducing Lead Contamination in Soil

Abstract

Phytoremediation is the technique of using green plants to remove toxic pollutants from heavy metal contaminated soil through degradation and detoxification mechanisms. Therefore, this research examines the potential of two types of vegetable crops, namely Crassocephalum crepidioides and Amaranthus sp., in reducing Pb contamination in polluted soil. The treatments tested were planting media in polybags dosed with 0, 3 and 6 g/polybag of Pb 1 week before planting. The method used was a randomized block design, with each treatment being repeated three times. Furthermore, each treatment consists of three sample plants. The growth evaluation started 6 days after planting and was performed every 6 days. The evaluation was conducted on plant height, leaf area, leaf chlorophyll content, fresh and dry weight of roots and shoots, Pb levels in roots and shoots, and Translocation Factor (TF). The results showed that the higher the Pb in the media, the lower the rate of change in plant height, leaf area, biomass, and chlorophyll content. Additionally, C. crepidioides and Amaranthus sp. absorb Pb in the soil with a phytoextraction mechanism, thereby remediating heavy metal contaminated soil, as indicated by the TF value > 1. In conclusion, soil remediation should be performed using C. crepidioides, considering that it is less popular as a vegetable in Indonesia.