Environmental pollution is assuming frightening dimensions in many parts of the world. This is not excluding Niger-Delta region of Nigeria where most of the country's oil and gas are sourced with attendant production of noxious substances as byproducts/residues/waste. Many of these noxious substances have been noted to be removable from polluted environment through proper application of phytoremediation techniques, particularly using native plant species. Consequently, this research was conceived to evaluate potentials for phytomediation by native red mangrove tree (Rhizophora racemosa G.F.W. Meyer). This was carried out by evaluating the presence of heavy metals ions and their bioconcentration levels in the samples of root and wood tissues axially along the stem of this tree. The sorrounding soil and water were also sampled and evaluated for presence and concentration of these metal ions in comparison with those for the sampled plant tissues. All the samples were sourced from a mangrove forest in Okrika, Rivers State, Nigeria. The samples from the root, butt, 50% and 90% bole length were oven-dried at 60±5 o C to constant weight, pulverised and heated with trioxonitrate (v) acid to achieve total dissolution before subjecting them to atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Similarly, samples from sorrouding soil were dried at 35±2 o C to constant weight, crushed and sieved using a ≤ 2mm mesh before performing metal extraction and detection using AAS while water samples were also subjected to AAS for heavy metal analyses, in line with appropriate standard methods. The data obtained were statistically analysed using basic descriptive tools, Analyses of Variance and Fishers' Least Significant Difference (P < 0.05). Outcomes of these statistical analyses showed that, in terms of bio-concentration values, the evaluated metal ions that include Fe, Cu, Mn, Cd, Pb, Ni and Cr were more in the root than the surrounding soil and water. The bio-concentration trends, for the metal ions, also progressively declined from the root towards the crown of the trees. The bio-concentration distribution in all the tree sections showed an inconsistent pattern with Fe ions having higher bio-concentration. In addition, Cr, Ni, Pd and Cu also inconsistently followed Fe in terms of bio-concentration level. © JASEM http://dx
This research was aimed at detecting some heavy metal ions in selected tissues of a standing twenty two years old Teak (Tectona grandis Linn. F.) trees and the topsoil around them at varied distance from a road within the campus of University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Concentration levels of seven types of heavy metal ions were evaluated in the different samples using standard procedures. The results showed that Cu, Cr, Zn, Mn and Fe were detected in the samples while Cd and Pb were not detected. The concentration of Cu was highest (0.22±0.02µg/g) in leaves at a distance of 5.85m from the road while it was lowest in bark (0.09±0.01µg/g) and leaves (0.09±0.01µg/g) at a distance of 24.10m from the road. The concentration of Cr was found to be 0.40±0.03µg/g and 0.40±0.08µg/g in topsoil samples at distance of 5.85m and 18.60m from the road respectively but has a value of 0.17±0.002µg/g in leaves at a distance of 24.10m from the road. It was also observed that concentration of Zn was 0.93±0.06µg/g in leaves at a distance of 5.85m from the road but was 0.05±0.03µg/g in topsoil at a distance of 24.10m from the road. Additionally, the concentration of Mn was highest in topsoil (1.10±0.006µg/g) at a distance of 18.60m from the road but was lowest in bark (0.20±0.02µg/g) at a distance of 24.10m from the road. The concentration of Fe ions was found to be highest in topsoil samples (89.12±0.55µg/g) at a distance of 5.85m from the road but was lowest in bark (2.07±0.07µg/g) at a distance of 24.10m from the road. The results revealed a somewhat common trend where concentrations of all the detected heavy metal ions declined in the samples of topsoil and teak's tissues as the distance of the locations where the samples were sourced increased from the roadside. The outcomes of this research appeared to have implicated automobiles as the main source of these pollutants; nevertheless, more intensive scientific investigations are necessary to provide answers to existing questions concerning ascertaining the source(s) of these pollutants, if not from petroleum fuelled automobiles, and the possible roles and ability of this tree species, or otherwise, in contributing to environmental cleaning in the study area.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.