Evaluating the Application of some Natural Amendments to Hinder the Pollution of Barley Plants by Heavy Metals

(Nesreen Houssien Abou-Baker , Soad Mohamed El-Ashry, Monier Morad Wahba, Fahmy Mohamed Habib, Esmat Hassan Atia Noufal, and Wafaa Mohamed Hashesh)

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Abstract

The contaminated districts are grown continuously by the excessive consumption of chemical fertilizers. Reducing soil toxicity and producing beneficial healthy food free of agrochemical contaminates particularly heavy metals (HMs) are the main purposes of this research paper. A pot experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of clay minerals, compost and the interaction between them (Zeolite = Z, Bentonite = B, compost = C, zeolite + bentonite = ZB, zeolite + compost = ZC and bentonite + compost = BC) as soil amendments and their effect on reducing heavy metals (HMs = Cd, Ni and Pb) accumulation in barley plant (Hordeum vulgare L. Var. Giza 132) and their mobility in two contaminated soils (Abou-Rawash, Giza Governorate and Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate). The previous soil amendments were added by two rates (1 and 2%) compared to control (without any addition). Barley plants were harvested at 90 days. All treatments led to increasing fresh and dry weight of barley plants as well as decrease its concentration and content of HMs compared with control. Zeolite produced the highest growth while the lowest accumulation of HMs was resulted by bentonite addition. Generally, clay minerals are able to improve the growth of plants in polluted areas in addition to decreasing HMs uptake by plants in absence or presence of compost. Key Words: Bentonite, Cadmium, Lead, Nickel, Pollution, Zeolite
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