Environmental & Analytical Toxicology

Detoxification of Heavy Metals from Leafy Edible Vegetables by Agricultural Waste: Apricot Pit Shell

Abstract

Bita Tavakoli-Hosseinabady, Parisa Ziarati, Ebrahim Ballali and Krishnan Umachandran

Soil contamination by heavy metals, though restricted to surface horizons, based on soil texture are occluded, organically complexed, modified and specifically adsorbed based on anthropogenic sources, resulted in toxicity ramification on human health, has been in vogue as a serious environmental problem for last few decades. A laboratory study was planned due to reduction of Lead, Cadmium and Nickel toxicity by a low-cost soil amendment. Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) pit shell an abundant and low cost natural resource in Iran was used to adsorbing some heavy metals from contaminated soil of vegetable farmlands. Different adsorption parameters like adsorbent dose, particle size of adsorbent and time of growing vegetable were studied. Composite soil sample were collected from four randomized farmland locations at three agricultural fields (each one more than 10 hectares), in Yazd county in Yazd Province. Cultivated Leafy vegetables were grown under controlled similar physical conditions, including pH, light and demonized watering. Leaves, roots and soil samples were examined, analyses and studied, at various frequencies for heavy metals.