Biosorption Potentials of Breadfruit Husk in Remediation of Crude Oil Contaminated Soil (Published)
The study was carried out to evaluate the potentials of bread fruit seed husks in remediating a soil contaminated with heavy metals. Equal volume of soil samples was collected and spiked with 100ml of crude oil. The samples were left for two weeks to simulate conditions of major spill. Five different treatments were added to the soil in 50g, 100g, 150, polluted unamended and natural soil respectively and monitored for five (5) months. Each mixture was setup in triplicates. Physicochemical and selected heavy metals (Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, and Copper), were assayed using AAS. Results obtained revealed alteration in physicochemistry of the soil samples two weeks after crude oil pollution. Results obtained showed that the concentration of the heavy metals in soil decreased with increasing time for both Control and breadfruit husk extract treated soils. The total hydrocarbon content reduced by 50.9% and 665.09% for sample 100g and 150g bread fruit husk treated soils respectively, while that for 50g was 20.33%. However, higher reductions of the heavy metals were observed in the breadfruit husk extract treated soils compared to controls. Among the treated soils, the optimum remediation occurred at breadfruit husk extract concentration of 150g and 100g at a period of 5 weeks. Therefore, it is concluded that breadfruit husk extract is an effective remediating material for a soil contaminated with heavy metals.
Keywords: Breadfruit, Remediation, biosorption, contaminated soil, crude oil, husk