REMOVAL OF LEAD (Pb) POLLUTION IN AGRICULTURAL AREAS BY PHYTOREMEDIATION METHOD WITH THE USE OF CANOLA (Brassica napus L.) PLANT

Abstract

In this study, improvement of agricultural fields polluted by lead (Pb) was researched by growing canola plant with the help of phytoremediation method. For this purpose, an experiment was done in Practice and Experiment Field of Namik Kemal University, Faculty of Agriculture in 2011. Pb(NO3)(2) was applied on the each parcel as pollutant so as to become 100 mg/kg of lead (Pb). In order to increase the uptake of the pollutant by canola plant, EDTA was applied to the parcels four doses (0, 5, 10, 15 mmol/kg) at the beginning of blooming. Plants were harvested after four-month growth. According to the results, obtained from the one year experiment, the yield of dry matter in the root and shoot components of the plants were decreased by increasing rates of EDTA application. Lead (Pb) contents of the root and shoot of canola were increased of increasing doses of EDTA. All of those increases and decreases were found to be significant at 1 % statistically. The findings acquired from this study were indicated, that agricultural fields polluted by lead (Pb) in Tekirdag province might be improved by phytoremediation method. In order to lower down the Pb heavy metal pollution on agricultural lands at 0-20 cm of soil depth to the toxicity level where normal culture plants are able to grow, it is necessary to apply 15 mmol/kg of EDTA or more. Because this study has proved that heavy metal (Pb), whose mobility has been increased by rising amounts of chelat applications, can be removed from soil through phytoremediation method.