Phytoextraction of Lead from Soil by Lepidium sativum L.

Phytoremediation is an emerging technology, environmental friendly method for large-scale cleanup of contaminated water and soil. A study was carried out to investigate the phytoremediation of lead from soil by Lepidium sativum L. according to randomized complete block design. Every Lepidium sativum L. plant was put in pots containing five kg of surface soil (0 to 10 cm). The experiment consisted of four treatments, including 0 (control, T1), 75 (T2), 150 (T3) and 300 (T4) mg.Kg-1 lead added to the soil samples. After 30 days, the samples were taken for testing. In the Lepidium sativum L. under the treatments, the concentration of extractable lead (ppm) in roots under T1, T2, T3 and T4 were 0.00, 14.01, 27.69, and 52.62, respectively. And the concentration of extractable lead (ppm) in shoots under T1, T2, T3 and T4 were 0.00, 6.92, 13.11, and 20.25, respectively. The evidences provided by this experiment indicated that the Lepidium sativum L. was capable of accumulating the lead preferentially from soil. This result also showed that the maximum remediation of lead was in T4 by Lepidium sativum L., and the potential of Lepidium sativum L. for phytoremediation increased with increasing lead concentration to 300 (ppm).