Influence of Soil Bioamendments on the Availabilty of Nickel and Phytoextraction Capability of Marigold from the Contaminated Soil

Abstract

Phytoremediation is an emerging technology involved in heavy metal remediation processes. It is evident from the several researches that the bioamendments greatly influences various biochemical processes and thus enhance the bioavailability of metals in the contaminated soil. It should favour greater absorption (removal) of metals by plants. Therefore, a pot experiments was conducted to examine the bioavailability and subsequent uptake of Ni by marigold during the application of different biomendments such as Farmyard manure (FYM), Composted poultry manure, Pressmud compost and Prosopis wood biochar. The result of pot experiment has shown the potential of bioamendments in enhancing the bioavailability of Ni in soil. The bioamendment application also enhanced the Ni content in plants.  A significant positive correlations were obtained between Ni uptake by plants and water soluble and exchangeable Ni in soil. This explains the role of bioavailability in plant uptake of Ni. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) and enrichment factor (EF) were less than one but the translocation factor (TF) was greater than one in plants grown on soil amended with bioamendments.  Marigold showed greater potential in tolerating and accumulating higher concentration Ni and therefore it could be integrated along with bioamendments for phytoextraction of Ni from contaminated soil.