Uptake and distribution of some heavy metals in three plant species found around the perimeter of an industrial subdivision in Barangay Langkaan City of Dasmariñas, Cavite / Johnny A. Ching, Chona T. Bandelaria, Airill L. Mercurio.

An URO funded research.

This paper shows an assessment on the metal concentrations in the soil around an industrial subdivision located in Barangay Langkaan, City of Dasmariñas, Cavite and the phytoremediation potentials of Ixora coccinea L. (dwarf santan). Duranta repens L. (golden duranta), and Iresine herbstii Hook. (blood leaf) in terms of bioconcentration factors (BCF). Plants and soil samples were collected and subjected to atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) for concentration analysis of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb). Likewise, samples of the same species were collected from a residential site to serve as the basis of comparison from a non-polluted source. Although significantly higher than those collected in residential site, the concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Pb in the soil of industrial site did not exceed the tolerable and/or acceptable count of pollutant based on the measure of pollution standards. However, the Cd concentration was detected to be higher than the critical value indicating soil pollution for Cd. With exception of golden duranta, Cu, Zn, and Pb significantly accumulated in the leaves as revealed by high concentration values. However, in the case of Cd for the three plant species and Pb for golden duranta, significantly concentrations accumulated in the roots. Moreover, the decreasing pattern of BCF for Cu and Cd in dwarf santan, golden duranta, and blood leaf from the residential site against those collected from the industrial site shows that the ability of the three plant species to accumulate these metals is reduced. Simultaneously, the level of metal contamination in the soil increases. On the other hand, the BCF of Zn on the three plant species, and POb for golden duranta and blood leaf exhibited an opposite trend indicating that the three plant species have the potential to accumulate Zn and Pb even at high concentration in the soil.