UPSI Digital Repository (UDRep)
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UPSI Digital Repository (UDRep)
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| Abstract : Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris |
| This research aimed to evaluate the potential of coconut tree sawdust (CTS), eggshell (ES) and sugarcane bagasse (SB) to immobilise metals in contaminated soil. This research is divided into three parts, namely characterisation studies, adsorption studies and pot experiments. The characterisation studies of amendment agents were performed using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) Spectrometer and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectrometer. The characterisation studies were conducted to identify the effects of metal ion binding on the surface morphology of the amendment agents, to confirm the presence of functional groups in the amendment agents and to elucidate the possible binding mechanism. The SEM images showed that the surface morphology of the amendment agents changed significantly following interaction with metal. Meanwhile, the EDX spectra confirmed the presence of metal on the surface of the amendment agents after adsorption process. The FTIR spectra confirmed that amine, carbonate, carbonyl, carboxyl and hydroxyl are the active sites for the amendment agents. The adsorption studies were carried out to evaluate the ability of the amendment agents to bind metal ion. Two experimental parameters were examined in this study, namely solution pH and initial metal concentration. The Freundlich constant (n) and separation factor (RL) values suggest that the adsorption of Cu(II), Pb(H) and Zn(H) ions onto amendment agents was favourable. The effectiveness of amendment agents to immobilise metals in soil was further evaluated in two sets of pot experiment using water spinach (Jpomoea aquatica). The pot experiments were carried out for 8 weeks at three rates of application, namely 0, 1 and 3% (w/w). The results show that the accumulation of metals in the plant tissues and bioavailability of metals in soil decreased following treatment. In conclusion, remediation of contaminated soil using CTS, ES and SB could reduce soil metal contamination and increase biomass yield of water spinach. Overall, the utilisation of low-cost materials such as coconut tree sawdust, eggshell and sugarcane bagasse could be suggested to restore soil contamination as well as to reduce the operational cost of soil remediation. |
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