ABSTRACT
Phytoremediation, based on the theory of botanic tolerance and accumulation of certain pollutant, is a new developing ecological technique primarily used to clean polluted environment. Blastofiltration is applied to phytoremediation of heavy metal polluted water at present. The study used castor, okra, melon and moringa seeds as experimental materials to investigate their potentials as possible blastofiltration materials. The results showed that with the trial time lasting up to 72 hours, lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) content in the contaminated water (60ppm in each case) decreased by 96-99%. The removal effects of okra and castor seeds were the most efficient whereas the whole seeds of moringa showed the best removal effects (100%) on cadmium. Plant seeds of less economic importance could represent the next generation green technology at bioremediation of heavy metal polluted water.
TABLE OF CONTENT
ABSTRACT
TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Heavy metals and environmental pollution 1
1.2 Statement of the research 4
1.3 Scope of the research 5
1.4 Aim and objectives 5
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature review 6
2.1 Bioremediation 6
2.2 Phytoremediation 8
2.2.1 Phytoextraction 8
2.2.2 Phytostabilization 10
2.2.3 Phytovolatilization 11
2.2.4 Phytofiltration 12
2.3 Mechanism of blastofiltration 13
2.4 Sources of heavy metal contamination of water 16
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Materials and methods 19
3.1 Materials 19
3.1.1 Equipment/Glassware 19
3.1.2 Reagents 19
3.2 Methods 19
3.2.1 Collection of sample 19
3.2.2 Preparation of sample 20
3.2.3 Preparation of standard 20
3.2.4 Blastofiltration setup 20
3.2.5 Digestion of samples 21
3.2.6 Determination of lead 21
3.2.7 Determination of cadmium 21
3.3 Determination o f percentage remediation 22
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Results 23
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendation 28
5.1 Discussion 28
5.2 Conclusion 29
5.3 Recommendations 30
Reference 31