Brazilian Journal of Biological Sciences, 2019, Vol. 6, No. 13, p. 401-411. ISSN 2358-2731 https://doi.org/10.21472/bjbs.061308 Phytoremediation potential of Amaranthus hybridus L. (Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae) on soil amended with brewery effluent Bridget Odiyi¹, Foluso Akinbode Ologundudu² and Tobi Adegbite¹ ¹Plant Ecology Unit. Department of Biology. Federal University of Technology Akure. Nigeria. ²Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Unit. Department of Biology. Federal University of Technology Akure. Nigeria. Email: [email protected]. Abstract. Toxicity of heavy metals above the normal threshold constituted a threat to humanity and biodiversity. Received Phytoremediation has become a novel and emerging technology July 03, 2019 of cleaning polluted sites through the use of plants. A study was carried out at the screen house located besides the academic Accepted August 28, 2019 building of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, to evaluate the phytoremediation potential of Amaranthus Released hybridus L. (Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae) on a brewery August 31, 2019 effluent. The parameters investigated include chlorophyll content, the concentration of the metals in the plants, Full Text Article Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) and Translocation Factor (TF) was studied. Three different concentrations of brewery effluent were used at 50, 100 and 150 mL/5 kg of soil, respectively. The results of this study under controlled conditions indicate that effluent application increased chlorophyll content, reduced plant height and stem girth. Three heavy metals (iron, cadmium, and chromium) were detected in the shoots and leave of both plants after the experimental period. The translocation factor (less than 1) and bioaccumulation factors (greater than 1) were below the permissible limits hence indicating a possible bio-accumulator for the heavy metals investigated. Brewery effluent reduce the 0000-0002-4079-9895 plant height but increase the leaf area of A. hybridus under high Bridget Odiyi concentrations which possibly suggest an adaptive mechanism 0000-0003-1075-6357 developed by the plant under stress. Foluso Akinbode Ologundudu 0000-0001-5936-2215 Keywords: Effluent; Bio-concentration factor; Permissible limit; Tobi Adegbite Toxicity; Translocation. Introduction unlike many substances, metals are not biodegradable and hence accumulate in There has been an increasing the environment (Ghanbari-Bonjar and concern with regard to the accumulation Leel, 2004). of heavy metals in the environment as Effluents are wastes produced they pose a threat to both human health from industries and they vary depending and the natural environment (Abioye et on the human activities that produce al., 2009). This is due to the fact that them. Production of these wastes is an ISSN 2358-2731/BJBS-2019-0051/2019/6/13/8/401 Braz. J. Biol. Sci. http://revista.rebibio.net 402 Odiyi et al. integral part of industrial activities but Seed and effluent collection unfortunately, our inability to anticipate The seeds were obtained from the magnitude of undesirable International Institute of Tropical consequences of uncoordinated release Agriclture, Ibadan. Brewery effluent was of effluents in our environment in collected at the international brewery, connivance with industrial boom have Ilesha, Osun State, Nigeria. resulted in wanton destruction of our ecosystem. Experimental design Higher plants can accumulate The experiment was laid out in a heavy metals in different concentrations, completely randomized design (CRD) but significant differences in metal with five replicates. The brewery effluent accumulation exist between and within was applied at the following rates of 0, plant populations. In this study 50, 100 and 150 mL concentration per Amaranthus hybridus L. (Caryophyllales: 5 kg soil and later left for 2 weeks to Amaranthaceae) was considered because allow for mineralization planting the it is a popular nutritious leafy vegetable seeds. The plants were treated with crops, rich in proteins, vitamins and effluent twice a week. minerals, and consumed virtually in the whole continent of Africa, Asia and South Measurement of growth America. Their quick growth and great parameters biomass makes them some of the highest Growth parameters were yielding leafy crops and therefore observed and measured every 2 weeks suitable for phytoremediation purpose. after planting (WAP). This was done for 8 The objective of this study weeks after which the plants were therefore was to investigate the effect of harvested, dried in the oven at 105 °C for brewery effluent on some soil chemical 48 h to a constant weight. The growth properties and growth of A. hybridus parameter measured were plant height, plant and to determine the leaf area, stem girth, number of leaf and phytoremediation potential of the plants chlorophyll content of the fresh leaf. The using heavy metal uptake into roots and chlorophyll content was determined stem. according to the method of Arnon (1949). Materials and methods Soil analysis Experimental site Soil analysis was carried out The screen house experiment before and after the experiment. The soil was carried out in the academic building pH was determined at soil:water ratio of of the Federal University of Technology, 1:1 using glass electrode pH meter. The Akure (Latitude (7° 16’ N and Longitude, particle size analysis of the soil was by 15° 12’ E), Ondo State, Nigeria. the method of Bach et al. (1958) as modified by Day and Wong (1965) Soil collection whereas the organic carbon content of Top soils (0-15 cm) were colleted both soil and effluent were analysed by from Aba Oyo Community of the Federal chromic acid wet oxidation method of University of Technology, Akure. The Fosu et al. (2004). The nitrogen was soils were thoroughly mixed by a determined by microkjeldal procedure as mechanical mixer and passed through described by Fosu et al. (2004). The 4 mm sieve to remove fibre and non soil available phosphorus was extracted with particulate in the sample. The chemical Bray and Kurtz solution 1 (Bray and and physical properties of the soils were Kurtz, 1945). Exchangeable acidity was determined prior to planting. determined by the KCl extraction and Braz. J. Biol. Sci., 2019, Vol. 6, No. 13, p. 401-411. Phytoremediation potential of Amaranthus hybridus 403 titration methods of Maclean (1965). The plate for 1 h in a fume hood until the total dissolved solids and suspended content was about 2 cm³. The digest was solids in the brewery effluent were allowed to cool, filtered into 50 cm³ analysed by the method of Ademoroti standard volumetric flask and mad e up (1996). The alkalinity was determined by to the mark with distilled deionized the method of Larson and Henley (1955). water. A serial dilution method was used The electrical conductivity was to prepared the working standards and determined using the model 230 HT the concentrations of the metals in each CORNING conductivity meter. The sample digest were determined using Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and atomic absorption spectrophotometer Chemical Oxygen demand (COD) were (Buck Model 210 VGP) equipped with a determined using the method of digital readout system. Ademoroti (1996). Determination of the Digestion of plant samples Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) The procedure according to The Bioconcentration Factor Awofolu (2005) was used for digestion of (BCF) of metals was used to determine plant sample. 0.5 g of sieved leaf samples the quantity of heavy metals that is were then weighed into 100 cm³ beaker. absorbed by the plant from the soil. This A mixture of 5 cm³ concentrated HNO3 is an index of the ability of the plant to and 2 cm³ HClO4 were added to dissolve accumulate a particular metal with the sample. The beaker was heated at respect to its concentration in the soil moderate temperature of 110 °C on a hot and is calculated using the formula: BCF = Determination of the translocation factor (TF) was used. This movement of metals from roots to ratio is an indication of the ability of the plants plant to translocate metals from the To evaluate the potential of roots to the aerial parts of the plant. It is plants for phytoextraction, the represented by the ratio: TF = Metals that are accumulated by Results plants and largely stored in the roots of plants are indicated by TF values < 1 Effect of brewery effluent on the with values > 1 indicating that the metals stem girth of A. hybridus is shown in are stored in the stems and leaves. Figure 1. There were significant differences on the effluent treated plants at 8 WAT and 10 WAT, respectively, Data analysis under the control and 50 mL brewery Data obtained were subjected to effluent (BET). However, the BET does analysis of variance and means were not have significant effect on the stem separated using Turkey’s B test. girth of A. hybridus at 4 WAT and 6 WAT, respectively. Braz. J. Biol. Sci., 2019, Vol. 6, No. 13, p. 401-411. 404 Odiyi et al. Figure 1. Effect of brewery effluent (BET) on the stem girth of A. hybridus. Figure 2 shows the effect of the 6th, 8th, and 10th WAT, respectively, brewery effluent on the number of leaves under the 150 mL BET. The highest of A. hybridus. It was observed that the number of leaves (16) was also recorded BET had significant effect on the number under the 150 mL BET relative to the of leaves of A. hybridus most especially at control. Figure 2. Effect of brewery effluent (BET) on the number of leaves of A. hybridus. Braz. J. Biol. Sci., 2019, Vol. 6, No. 13, p. 401-411. Phytoremediation potential of Amaranthus hybridus 405 Effect of BET on the leaf area of 0.68 across the brewery effluent A. hybridus is presented in Figure 3. (Table 2). The highest heavy metal There were significant rapid increases in accumulation of 0.68 was recorded in the leaf area of A. hybridus under the iron at 150ml BET while the least was 150 mL BET at 6th, 8th and 10th WAT.