The Potential of Amaranthus caudatus as a Phytoremediating Agent for Lead

The potential of Amaranthus caudatus as a phytoremediating agent was studied, using lead spiked soil to grow the plants. The effect of the concentration of lead on plant growth was studied. The main aim of the study was to assess the accumulation of lead (Pb) in different compartments of the plant. The plants were grown in soils treated with solutions corresponding to 25, 50, 75 and 100 ppm of Pb. The plants were than separated into roots, stems and leaves and dried at 600C in a convection oven for 48 hours.The metals from the plant were extracted using wet digestion process. Pearson’s coefficient correlation analysis was used to measure the relationship between Pb concentration in the soil and in plant tissues. The highest concentration was recorded in the roots of plants at 50 ppm concentration. A. Caudatus plants exposed to 25 ppm of Pb showed highest increase in root and stem growth. The lowest root growth was observed in plants exposed to 100 ppm of Pb. There is a negative relationship between the concentration of Pb in the soil and that in the above ground plant tissues. Key Words: Accumulation, Amaranthus, Lead, Phytoremediation