EFFECT OF ZEOLITE APPLICATION ON CADMIUM ACCUMULATION IN RED AMARANTH (Amaranthus spp.) GROWN IN CONTAMINATED SOIL

Abstract

Present work was carried out in the net house of Department of soil science, Shere-Bangla Agricultural

University, Dhaka, Bangladesh in order to study the effect of zeolite on Cd uptake in red amaranth plant as well as the effect of zeolite on soil health. The experiment was conducted in Completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications. Five levels of zeolite (Control, 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% of soil weight) in combination with two levels of Cd (Control and 15 ppm Cd) were used as treatment. In case of stem, leaf and root uptake, highest Cd concentrations (36.06, 65.46 and 46.99 ppm Cd respectively) were found in treatment 2 (Control zeolite + 15 ppm Cd), where no zeolite and maximum Cd was applied. On the other hand, maximum Cd remediation occurred in treatment 10 where maximum zeolite was applied (Zeolite @4% of soil weight + 15 ppm Cd). Higher concentrations of total Cd in bulk and rhizosphere soil were found in the treatments where higher rates of zeolite were applied. However, concentrations of bio-available Cd got lowered gradually in soils with higher rates of zeolite application. This indicates that more Cd was successfully immobilized by zeolite. Zeolite application also positively influenced the soil properties such as bulk density, particle density, soil pH and soil electrical conductivity. Therefore, it can be concluded that zeolite can be used as an effective tool for Cd remediation as well as a good soil amendment.