Effectiveness of Phytoremediation Using Pechay (Brassica rapa) and Mustasa (Brassica juncea) in the Industrialized Land of General Trias, Cavite

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Soil contamination has always come with the rapid industrialization and urbanization (Chen, 2009). Fortunately, the natural process called phytoremediation in which green plants are used to rehabilitate the contaminated soil could address this problem. According to Mourato (2015), the Brassica plant is effective for phytoremediation since it is known as accumulators of heavy metals. in addition, it can tolerate uptake and defend their systems from stress from heavy metals. in this study, the viability of Pechay (Brassica rapa) and Mustasa (Brassica juncea), species of the said plant, as phytoremediators of lead-contaminated soil from industrialized land of General Trias, Cavite was investigated.

METHODS

Using a Quantitative method experimental research design, the sample soil from the said land underwent soil analysis at the Agricultural Research Institute in the University of the Philippines, Los Baños to determine its lead content contamination. Then, the Brassica plants sprouts were planted to the soil with the four treatments: T0 -soil with no Brassica plants, T1-two Pechay and two Mustasa, T2-three Mustasa and one Pechay, and lastly T3 -three Pechay and one Mustasa. After the harvesting period, the treatments underwent soil analysis once again to determine the level of lead contaminants left in the soil.

RESULTS

Results showed that the soil prior to the exposure to the treatment had a lead content of 2.84 ppm. After exposing the contaminated soil to the treatments, the lead content significantly decreased. in T1, the soil was significantly decreased by 2.3 Pb ppm leaving it with a lead content of 0.54 ppm. Whereas, T2 was decreased by 2.21 Pb ppm with 0.63 lead content left on the soil. While T3 was decreased by 2.52 Pb ppm leaving the soil with 0.32 lead content. Lastly, T¬0 with no Brassica plants remained unchanged. The results were interpreted based on the computed bioaccumulation factor from the soil analysis. If the bioaccumulation factor is less than one, the plant is not accumulative, if it is 1 to 5, the plant is accumulative, and if the result is greater than five, the plant is very accumulative. T1 to T3 were classified as accumulative while T0 was classified as not accumulative.

DISCUSSIONS

There is a significant difference in the lead content left in the soil based on the varying treatments. The study found out that the most effective phytoremediator was T3 compared to the other treatments. Therefore, the researchers concluded that it is capable to rehabilitate the soil.