The Combined Effect of EDTA and Vermicompost on Removal of Lead from Soil by Ocimum basilicum

Abstract

Among the chemical pollutants, lead is one of great importance ecologically and hygienically, because it threatens the health of the communities by penetrating into the food cycle. Phytoremediation is required along with modifying chelates to improve the efficiency of metal remediation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of vermicompost and EDTA on the absorption of various Pb concentrations from the soil and determine their accumulation level in the roots and shoots of Ocimum basilicum in the form of pot experiment in a completely randomized design with three replications. We applied vermicompost 3 mg/kg soil, EDTA 8 mg/kg soil, and lead nitrate at the concentrations of 50 and 100 mg/kg soil. AAS was employed to read the amount of Pb in the extracts. The results showed that the use of amendment materials increases significantly the Pb accumulation in the plant shoots. The results of calculating bioconcentration factor and transfer factor showed that this plant is unsuitable for the phytostabilization and phytoextraction of Pb.