Phytoremediation performance of Piptatherummiliaceum (smilograss)for Ni and Pb ions in roadside soil in Benghazi, Libya

Abstract

There is an increased concentrations of heavy metals in the roadside soils due the human activities. Soil and plant samples from the roadside areas in Benghazi city were collected and analysed using Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry for their heavy metal contents. The total metal content of Ni and Pb has been determined in soil surrounded the plant roots, plant roots, and Leaves. In order to evaluate the performance of Piptatherummiliaceum to extract the metals from soil, different factors such as Biological Absorption Coefficient (BAC), Bioconcentration Factor (BCF), and Translocation factor (TF) have been calculated. The results showed that Piptatherummiliaceumis more suitable for phytostabilisation than phytoextraction. Phytoremediation as a green technology has many advantages over the other methods of heavy metals removal from soils.