PHYTOREMEDIATION OF SELECTED HEAVY METALS USING HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA PLANT

Phytoremediation of selected heavy metals using Hibiscus sabdariffa was investigated in this study to assess its potential for remediating soils contaminated with iron (Fe), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd). Soil samples were collected from Adamawa State University and spiked with heavy metal salts, while control samples were maintained under uncontaminated conditions. The plants were cultivated for 60 days, after which biomass was harvested, and soil and plant tissues were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Results revealed that Fe, Cu, and Pb were effectively absorbed and translocated to aerial tissues, with bioaccumulation factor (BCF) values of 0.5, 0.1, and 0.1, and translocation factor (TF) values of 3.67, 7.13, and 1.61 respectively. Chromium uptake was completely excluded (BCF = 0, TF = 0), while cadmium exhibited extreme phytotoxicity, preventing germination and survival of the test plants. The findings indicate that H. sabdariffa possesses useful traits for phytoextraction of Fe, Cu, and Pb in moderately contaminated soils, primarily through biomass harvesting. However, its inability to tolerate Cd and exclude Cr highlights the necessity of species-specific selection and complementary remediation approaches for multi-metal polluted environments. The study concludes that Hibiscus sabdariffa is a promising phytoremediator for Fe, Cu, and Pb, offering a cost-effective and environmentally friendly strategy for soil clean-up, while remediation of Cr- and Cd-contaminated sites may require alternative or integrated methods.