Remediation Technologies

**135**

**Chapter 8**

**Abstract**

**1. Introduction**

Evaluation of Ornamental

Contaminated Soil

*and Katherine Olayinka Olajugbagbe*

mechanic workshop and effluent site had stunted growth.

the nation's agriculture from attaining food security.

**Keywords:** ornamental plants, metals, toxics, phytoremediation

Plants for Phytoremediation of

A completely randomized design with three replicates was conducted at the Screen house of the Department of Crop Soil and Pest Management, Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, to examine the phytoremediation potential of *Codiaeum variegatum* and *Basella alba* on contaminated soils from four locations. Soils were collected from the Mechanic workshop, Dumpsite, Forest Topsoils, and Effluent site, and filled into the buckets. Initial soil analysis was conducted on all the soils to determine heavy metal concentration (Cu, Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn). At 12 weeks after planting, soil and plant (root and shoot) samples were analyzed to determine the heavy metals accumulated. WHO permissible limit value for heavy metal concentration in soil and plant were used as a standard to evaluate plant phytoremediation potential. Results from the study confirm the phytoremediation potential of *C. variegatum* and its high tolerance for the accumulation of heavy metals. *B. alba* plant also shows its potential in removing heavy metals from the soil, but it was not as tolerant as *C. variegatum* as *B. alba* planted in soils from

Environmental pollution has been on the rise over the past decades because of the increasing human activities on energy reservoirs, unsafe agricultural practices, and rapid industrialization. The result of these technogenic and anthropogenic activities are the major sources of heavy metals in the environment [1]. In Nigeria, soil contaminations is caused by industrial and agricultural practices such as chemical fertilizer and pesticide application, wastewater irrigation, mining activities, and metal smelting. All these human activities have contributed to problems hindering

However, agriculture in Nigeria has been facing two challenges for a long time, these challenges are; promoting environmental sustainability and enhancing food production. To ameliorate these challenges, there is a need to adopt management techniques that promote environmental sustainability. Phytoremediation has been identified as a cost-effective and easy way to sustain our environment by removing toxic elements from contaminated soils. Phytoremediation is a technique that relies

*Adeyela Ibironke Okunlola, Dotun Nathaniel Arije* 

## **Chapter 8**
