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International Conference on

Recent Trends in Environmental Sustainability

ESCON22/ETERM/53
Mitigation of Pb uptake in chilies by zeolite amendment in sewerage water grown plants

Rashid Jawad*, Aamir Nawaz, Shaghef Ejaz, Sajid Ali
Department of Horticulture Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan

Correspondence: rashidjawad74@gmail.com
Abstract

Heavy metal toxicity in fresh fruits and vegetables due to either contaminated water irrigation
or contaminated soil is hazardous for humans. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted to
mitigate the effect of Pb contamination induced by sewerage water irrigation. For this purpose,
zeolite was used as a soil amendment for growing chili plants. Zeolite at different levels i.e.,
0.75 g kg-1, 1.50 g kg-1 and 2.25 g kg-1 soil was applied along with sewerage water. Fresh
water-grown plants were used as control. Pb content was highest in sewerage water-grown chili
plants along with higher ROS and higher activity of SOD, POD, APX and CAT enzymes, and
reduced net photosynthetic rate, gaseous exchange and transpiration rate. The lowest level of
zeolite reduced the accumulation of Pb levels in different plant parts, while significantly
enhancing the net photosynthetic rate, gaseous exchange and transpiration rate. Further, this
treatment also significantly increased plant height, leaf area, plant biomass and fruit number
and weight. However, higher levels of zeolite negatively affected the growth attributes.
Therefore, amending the soil with zeolite (0.75 g kg-1 soil) for growing chilies with sewerage
water irrigation could be further investigated under field conditions.

Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus

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