Phytoremediation Potentials of some Selected Tropical Plants in Aquatic and semi-aquatic environments in Hadejia-Nguru wetlands of North Eastern Nigeria
Abstract
Phytoremediation Potentials of some Selected Tropical Plants in Aquatic and semi-aquatic environments in Hadejia-Nguru wetlands of North Eastern Nigeria: an innovative technology for sustainable development
Mohammed Inusa Nguru 1 Sani Abba Nasidi 2 Karagama Kolo Geidam 3 Mubarak Abdullahi 4 Abubakar Liman 5
1,2 School of sciences Department of Science Laboratory Technology Mai Idris Alooma Polytechnic Geidam
3,5 School of Environmental Studies Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics Mai Idris Alooma Polytechnic Geidam Yobe State.
4Department of Biological Science Adamawa State College of Education, Hong P.M.B. 2237 Yola
Abstract
Phytoremediation technology enhances the reduction of undesirable effects and restoration of polluted environments, such as soils and waters, by growing, green plants that have the ability to tolerate and/or remove contaminating substances, thereby restoring the soil and its functions. Human activities have been the major determinant in the increase in heavy metal concentration in many environments. In Hadejia-Jama'are river basin the increase in potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are attributed to components of agro-allied products such as pesticides herbicides, fertilizers and other synthetic products such as paints and batteries. Other sources of PTE are mining activities, industrial, municipal and domestic wastes act as important sources of PTE pollution to the environment.
Hadejia River Basin (HRB) is currently home to nearly 15 million people, hosted and supported by the basin’s water resources for their livelihoods. The basin is covered largely by semi-arid and partly by humid climates. over the past decade, the science of phytoremediation is gaining more acceptance as a plant-based remediation technology which have the potential to be low-cost, low impact and environmentally sound Some commonly examples of plants used in phytoremediation are the following: water hyacinths ( Eichornia crassipes); Poplar trees ( Populus spp.); forage Kochia ( Kochia spp) alfalfa ( Medicago sativa) ; Kentucky bluegrass ( Poa pratensis) ; Scirpus spp, Coontail ( Ceratophyllum demersum L.); American pondweed ( Potamogeton nodsus); and the emergent common arrowhead ( Sagittaria latifolia). This paper is a systematic review of papers to find out tropical aquatic plant species with phytoremediation potentials to enable policy makers, and all other stake holders to adopt phyto remediation as a means of purifying the polluted wetland arising from human activities associated with the wetland.
