Phytoremediation Potential of Sesuvium Portulacastrum on Remediating Salt Affected Soil

Abstract

Sesuvium portulacastrum is a salt hyper accumulating plant and pioneer plant species used for desalination and phytoremediation. The plant tolerates abiotic constraints such as salinity and drought. It grows under severe salinity and it can be used for the remediation and restoration of salt contaminated soils affected from industrial effluents. Among the major water demanding industries, the textile industry has biggest impact on the environment related to primary water consumption and waste water discharge. Textile effluent has a large range of organic chemicals of high salinity, high colour and low biodegradability. Salinity exerts negative effects on plant growth and affects the biological stability of ecosystems.The experiment on salt uptake through salt enrichment study was conducted and also to assess the potential of Sesuvium portulacastrum collected from Pitchavaram in Chidambaram District of Tamil Nadu, India for the remediation of dye and textile contaminated area in Andipalayam, Mangalam and Palayakottai villages of Tirupur District of Tamil Nadu was studied upto 70Days After Planting (DAP). The results of the soil analysis revealed that, the initial EC of soil 13.04 dSm -1 is reduced to 7.37 dSm -1 (30 Days after planting (DAP) and 5.34 dSm-1(60DAP). The plant shoot length and root lengths were increased to 74% and biomass was increased to 94% in 5000mg/kg of Na enriched soils. The electrical conductivity and sodium content were decreased in Sesuvium grown soil enriched with different concentrations of Na. 77.8% of Sodium was removed from the soil in a span of 90 days.

Exploring the potentials of Sesuvium portulacastrum L. for edibility and bioremediation of saline soils

“…An EC of 4 dS/m is equivalent to 40 mM of NaCl ( Marschner, 2011 ). Studies have shown that S. portulacastrum can grow in soils with 100 mM NaCl ( Slama et al., 2008 ) and has an EC of 13.04 dS/m ( Ramaswamy et al., 2017 ); thus, S. Portulacastrum can grow in different saline soils.…”