A Study on Removing Arsenic Contamination in Soil by Phytoremediation

Abstract

The results of a study on the removal of arsenic (As) contamination in soil using dracaena fragrans. In the research, this plant was planted on as – contaminated soil at five levels of concentration of 0 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg. After 90 days experimental in the five concentrations the survival rate was 100%. However, as concentrations have a significant effect on growth parameters, especially in concentration 500 mg/kg, the growth of the plant showed marked signs of slow growth, the leaves were retracted. Analyzed results on as content in roots, stems, and leaves of plants at all experimental after 90 days show that there was a linear relationship between as content in different parts of the plants and in soil samples. At the experiment concentration 500 mg/kg, the concentration of as in roots was 15.7 mg/kg, that in stems was 4.4 mg/kg and that in leaves was 3.2 mg/kg. The amount of as accumulated in the roots had the highest percentage. There was 1.14 mg as had been removed by 209.1 g of biomass of dracaena fragrans after 90 days.