Phytoremediation potential of selected grass species in the Mine Tailing Pond of Sitio Manlauyan, Gango, Libona, Bukidnon, Philippines

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Research Paper 01/11/2017
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Phytoremediation potential of selected grass species in the Mine Tailing Pond of Sitio Manlauyan, Gango, Libona, Bukidnon, Philippines

Ina Marie G. Abad, Romulo O. Capundag Jr., Jedalyn C. Gamalo, Cordulo P. Ascano II, Gina C. Lacang
J. Biodiv. & Environ. Sci. 11(5), 321-328, November 2017.
Copyright Statement: Copyright 2017; The Author(s).
License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Abstract

Generally, the study aims to investigate the absorptive capacity of the three dominant grass species namely Imperata cylindrica L. (Cogon grass), Megathyrsus maximus J. (Guinea grass), and Pennisetum purpureum S. (Napier grass) in remediating mercury contamination from a mining tailing pond of barangay Gango, Libona Bukidnon, Philippines. It also assessed the level of mercury contamination in the soil within the study area. The study made used of a descriptive comparative method and One-way Analysis of Variance for the statistical tool. Composite samplings were made for the soil samples and the presence of mercury in both the grass and soil samples were analyzed using a Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (CVAAS). Based on the findings of the study, the three grass species showed absorptive capacity and were able to remediate mercury from the soil. The highest mercury uptake was cogon grass with an average concentration of 10.473 ppm followed by guinea grass with an average of 7.521 ppm then napier grass with an average of 3.012 ppm. It also showed that the soil sample without vegetation has greater concentration of mercury than the soil sample with vegetation.

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