Analysis of Plants, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) and Gossypium herbaceum (Cotton), for the Control of Heavy Metals Chromium and Arsenic Using Phytoremediation Techniques

Heavy metal pollution released into the surface environment poses a significant threat, being hazardous to both the environment and living organisms. Phytoremediation thus appears as a viable technique to address heavy metal pollution in soils impacted by industrial effluents. To identify the growth performance of sunflower and cotton seeds under various concentrations of arsenic and chromium present in the tannery industrial wastewater in the Chengalpattu region, and to identify the accumulation of Arsenic(As)As and chromium (Cr) in the roots, shoots, and soil of these plants. This paper examined the usefulness of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and cotton (Gossypium herbaceum) in eradicating Cr and As-polluted soils originating from tannery wastewater. In this experiment, Completely Randomized Block Design (CBRD) testing was performed, and the samples were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The accumulation of Cr in sunflowers was 120 mg.kg-1 in the roots and 25 mg.kg-1 in the above-ground parts. As accumulated to 85 mg.kg-1 in the roots and 15 mg.kg-1 in the above-ground parts. Similarly, cotton plants accumulated 90 mg.kg-1 of Cr in the roots and 20 mg.kg-1 in the above-ground parts. As accumulation in cotton plants was 100 mg.kg-1 in the roots and 30 mg.kg-1 in the aboveground parts. The study inferred that, in comparison to the other plants, the concentrations of Cr in sunflower roots were significantly higher, but cotton was found to have a better ability to take up As in the roots as well as in the aerial parts of the plant. It hence demonstrates the applicability of sunflower and cotton to support phytoremediation efforts sustainably within industrial environments to mitigate pollution and improve the quality of the soil.