Phytoremediation: Emerging and green technology for the uptake of cadmium from the contaminated soil by plant species

The environmental cleanup of toxic metals such as cadmium was paramount important and it was a potential environmental hazard. A novel, cost-effective and eco-friendly technologies are needed to remove cadmium from the contaminated soil environment. The present research study was designed to assess the naturally enhanced phytoextraction potential of different plant species from the Cadmium contaminated soil. Uptake of cadmium by plant species in a metal contaminated soil was studied in pot culture experiment. The pots were filed with 5 kg of garden soil. Weed plants were grown in pots and were irrigated with known heavy metal solutions in the concentration of 5ppm heavy metal (Cd) solution was added to the pots alternate days up to 60 days. In controls normal water was used. The plants were grown for a period of 60 days. The initial soil heavy metal concentration was analyzed. After 20, 40 and 60 days soil heavy metal concentrations were also analyzed. Analysis of heavy metal was done in HNO₃/HClO₄ digested samples by Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer. The plant species showed relatively good response to the higher level of heavy metal concentration in the roots, stem and leafs suggested that these plant species were good metal accumulator with the possibility of extracting Cd from contaminated soils.