Abstract

Quality and magnitude of World’s food have been improved using pesticides. However, these pesticides, such as Hexachlorocyclohexane, have unfavorably affected the quality of environment and health of human beings. These not only used in Agriculture but in public health activities. Their use has been banned in developed countries, but these are still being used in some developing countries including Pakistan. Present study was aimed at sssessment, of HCHs concentration to be removed by rhizoremediation with Solanum nigrum; Solanum nigrum growth performance and identification of inoculate to be best for rhizo-microbial remediation. Pot experiments at 0, 5 and 10 mg/kg HCHs spiked soil were conducted for 90 days. Soil physicochemical properties (pH, TOC, OM, EC, MBC) were measured. Residual HCHs concentration in spiked soil was 1.73, 2.33, 3.9 and 6.1 mg/kg for 5% HCHs +Solanum nigrum+Inoculate; 5% HCHs+Inoculate; 10% HCHs Solanum nigrum+Inoculate; 10%HCHs+Inoculate respectively. While HCHs accumulation in Solanum nigrum in different treatments was 1.233, 2.133, 2.6667 mg/kg for 5% HCHs+Solanum nigrum+Inoculate; 10% HCHs+Solanum nigrum; 10% HCHs+Solanum nigrum+inoculate respectively. Strain which effectively improved the plant root and biomass was ST47 which improved root length almost 6.9 cm. Results elucidated the use of Solanum nigrum along with ST47 strain as the effective and promising remediation technique for HCHs degradation.

Keywords: HCHs; Solanum nigrum; Pesticide; Rhizoremediation; Contamination