Impact of Accumulation and Deposition of Some Heavy Metals in the Tissues of Leaves, Shoots and Roots of Paspalum scrobiculatum and Azonopus compressus

Abstract

Paspalum scrobiculatum and Azonopus compressus were used to study the accumulation and deposition of lead in tissues of roots, rhizomes and leaves, as well as their impact on changes in the anatomy of their tissues. Four (4) kg of air dried soil was measured into Four (4) kg perforated plastic buckets. Waste engine oil was added to Four (4) kg different soil samples to obtain different concentrations on weight basis: 0% (control), 2%, 4%, 7% and 10% v/w oil-in-soil and allowed to stand for seven days before transplanting. The plants were harvested after 8 weeks of transplanting. The following parameters were measured, anatomical characters of the leaves, stems and roots and the epidermal peel of the leaves. The observed changes in the anatomy of the two grass species studied may be due to the waste engine oil polluted soil in which they were grown. The leaves epidermal cells showed that all the two grass species exhibited irregular epidermal cell shape and sinuous cell walls. There was reduction in cell size, the increase in cell shape irregularity, increased thickness of cell wall of the parenchyma tissues and breakdown of vascular bundles as oil concentration increased in stem anatomy. There was reduction in root cell size, the increase in cell shape irregularity and increased thickness of cell wall of the parenchyma tissues and break down of cortex region as oil concentration increased. The two grass species studied in conclusion, were sensitive to waste engine oil contaminated soil which were determined by the five different concentrations of waste engine oil used.