Enhanced Phytoremediation of Heavy Metals By Soil-applied Organic And Inorganic Amendments: Heavy Metal Phytoavailability, Accumulation, And Metal Recovery

ABSTRACT

Phytoremediation, an eco-friendly and cost-effective technique for remediating heavy metal-contaminated soils, can be significantly enhanced through the application of soil amendments. This study investigates the impact of Foliar spraying of both organic (fulvic acid, auxin, Compost, and coconut coir) and inorganic (sulfur) amendments on the phytoavailability, accumulation, and recovery of heavy metals: Arsenic-As, Mercury-Hg, Cadmium-Cd and Lead-Pb in contaminated soils. Field experiment was conducted using hyperaccumulator plant species; T. capensis and H. psittacorum with varying amendment treatments to assess their effectiveness in improving phytoremediation outcomes. The results demonstrate that specific amendments significantly increase heavy metal uptake and translocation within plants by altering soil pH, cation exchange capacity, and microbial activity, thus enhancing metal solubility and bioavailability. Furthermore, the study evaluates the potential of these amendments to not only facilitate metal recovery but also to restore soil health and fertility. The findings underscore the potential of tailored amendment strategies in optimizing phytoremediation processes, offering a sustainable solution for heavy metal remediation in polluted environments.

KEYWORDS:

• Soil contamination
• fulvic acid
• auxin, sulfur
• T. capensis
• H. psittacorum

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

Samuel Wiafe: He is the corresponding author. Conceptualized the research topic, and formulated the objectives and methodology of the research and also wrote the original draft of the manuscript.

Christiana Boahen: He carried out both the Laboratory and Field Investigation as well as the Data Curation of the research work

Daniel Gyabaah: He carried out Laboratory work and also assisted in the writing of the manuscript

Thomas Bandoh: He participated in the Writing of the manuscript (Original Draft Preparation) as well as reviewed and edited the manuscript.

Authors declaration

All authors have read, understood, and have complied as applicable with the statement on “Ethical responsibilities of Authors” as found in the instructions for authors.

Ethical conduct

This manuscript has never been published in any journal or sent to any journal for consideration and publication. The strict scientific ethical standard was adhered to.

Data availability statement

Data sets generated and analyzed in this study are available upon reasonable request.

Statement on guidelines followed during the plant study

The study followed the relevant guidelines during the plant study.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the contributions of the authors.