Phytoremediation capacity of Canavalia ensiformis in soils contaminated by iron (Fe)

Abstract

The concentration of heavy metals in the soil has been afflicting society for a long time and has gradually increased due to human activities, such as inappropriate agricultural practices, the increase in the number of industries, among others. Leguminous plants have characteristics that help degraded soils, as, among other characteristics, they can fix nitrogen in the atmosphere, increasing soil fertility. Phytoremediation is a method that uses plants to remove or decrease soil contaminants. The development of sustainable and low-cost technologies for the recovery of areas contaminated by heavy metals is of great need. Thus, the objective of this work is to characterize the tolerance and phytoremediation potential of Canavalia ensiformis (jack bean) to heavy metal iron (Fe) for the use of this plant as phytoremediation. The experiment will be conducted in a greenhouse, involving 5 concentrations of iron (0, 50, 150, 250 and 350 mg / dm3 of soil). Each treatment will consist of five biological repetitions, in addition to the control, totaling 25 experimental units. After contamination of the soil, it will be transferred to pots with a capacity of 4 dm3, seeds of Canavalia ensiformis will be planted directly in the contaminated soil and its germination and growth will be monitored, photosynthetic parameters will be analyzed (photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration), in addition to the pigment content of photosynthesis. The phytoremediation potential will be assessed using the iron tolerance and translocation index, as well as the removal efficiency. (AU)