The Effect of Industrial Coconut Oil Effluent on the Growth, Development and Accumulation of Toxic Heavy Metals in the Leaf, Stem and Root Tissues of Corchorus Olitorius L.

Abstract

This study was carried out in a screen house in the Botanic Garden of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology (PSB), to evaluate the effect of different concentrations (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%) of industrial coconut oil effluent (ICE) and assess the effect of accumulation of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg, Pb and Ar) on the growth and development of edible/ marketable status of Corchorus olitorius tissues (leaves, stem and root). The treatments were arranged in five batches, 60 for each batch for both control (0%) in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and the seedlings were irrigated with their respective and appropriate concentrations of ICE. Tap water irrigation served as control. Irrigation was done at an interval of 2 days for 14 weeks. The resulting data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were separated using Duncan New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT) at p < 0.05. The results of the study showed that seedlings irrigated with 0% (Control) had higher mean but was not significantly different (p > 0.05) from 20% ICE treatment which produced mean plant height of (69.0 cm), stem girth (6.8 cm), leaf area (60.33 cm2) leaf dry weight (1.25 g), root fresh weight (0.4 g) and root dry weight (0.30 g). Conversely, 80% and 100% ICE treated seedlings could not survive beyond 8 weeks of irrigation. The level of heavy metals accumulation in the tissues of C. olitorius was mostly from 10 – 14 weeks in 20% treatment, while it was 6 - 8 weeks in both 80% and 100% ICE. Corchorus olitorius did not perform well when irrigated with higher concentrations of ICE.