Psidium guajava (L.)—a Bioeconomic Plant for Restoration of Industrial Solid Waste Dump: a Green and Sustainable Approach
2022
Bandyopadhyay, Sneha | Maiti, Subodh Kumar
Solid wastes generated from industrial sponge iron plants (ISP) are categorized as hazardous waste due to their extremely fine, loose texture, toxic metal concentrations, and being wind borne in summer; their unscientific disposal leads to severe land degradation and environmental pollution. In the present study, phytorestoration of such a hazardous waste dump in central India was carried out through blanketing with forest soil (substratum for vegetation growth) followed by plantation with Psidium guajava (L.) saplings (2500 saplings/ha). The present study aimed to assess the efficiency of fruit orchards in restoring the soil health of waste dumps (WD) without causing any health hazards, allowing the possibility for an economically viable after use of the degraded land. Heavy metal concentration (Mn, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni) in blanketed topsoil, plant tissues (roots, leaves, fruits), and its associated risk due to consumption of guava fruits were analysed. Soil health with reference to organic carbon (1.7%), total nitrogen (1727.7 mg kg⁻¹), and exchangeable potassium (162.3 mg kg⁻¹) at the 7-year-old restored site was significantly higher than that of the initial stage of revegetation. No probables of health risk was found due to consumption of guava fruit (growing on WD) as the target hazard quotient (THQ) of all the metals in fruit was <1. Restoration cost analysis of the present study showed that only 5% of total costs were responsible for the development of fruit orchards. Therefore, the study concluded that fruit orchards could be a sustainable alternative for phytorestoration of WD, which will also provide socio-economic return to stakeholders.
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