Rehabilitation and Phytoremediation-of Heavy Metal Polluted Riverine Wetlands using Bamboo for Phytoextraction in Kibera, Kenya
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Date
2014-03-11
Authors
Bosire, Geoffrey Orina
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Abstract
Urban and peri urban unplanned settlements have mushroomed widely in Kenya today.
Examples of settlements that are now congested with domestic wastes open draining into
wetlands include Kibera (Africa's largest slum), Mathare and Dandora slums both, which
drain their wastes into Nairobi River and its tributaries that pass through them. Nairobi
River has through academic research, government and industrial partnerships attracted
activities that seek to foster transformation from polluted to sustainable clean water. The
river is a natural receptacle for possible heavy metal pollutants from domestic and
industrial activities. Heavy metals are highly toxic when they fall beyond accepted
standards. Their effects are evidenced as tetratogenic, mutagenic and others being
carcinogenic. This is a great concern of whose subsequent research gives birth to
bioremediation using plant species. Phytoremediation is a more cost-effective, more
environmentally friendly, and more aesthetically pleasing method for polluted water
purification and filtration. Plants also offer a permanent, in situ, no intrusive, selfsustaining
method of soil and water contaminant removal. Potential danger might exist for
animals and humans who live in the areas in which phytoremediators are grown, especially
if they typically feed on the species of plant being used for phytoremediation.
Rehabilitating the wetlands with an alternative that reinstates the purification and filtration
capacity, and that is not consumed as food, is therefore urgently needed. A promising
alternative is the bamboo that could serve to uptake heavy metals from polluted aquatic
ecosystems. In this research, Zn Cu, Cd and Pb concentrations were investigated in soils,
water and plants along Kibera riverine. Four species of bamboo and other plants
investigated were grown on potted polluted soils from Motoine riverine, and the levels of
Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb determined at regular intervals. Data was analysed by Genstat package
for natural sciences for regression analysis and ANOVA. Soils were found to contain Pb in
the range of 60.01±3.35 to 69.75±7.19 mg/kg, Cd in the range of 1.819±0.19 to
2.151±0.059 mg/kg, Zn from the range 34.76±6.27 to 38.47±9.4 mg/kg and Zn in the range
of 875.84±215 to 1035.25±67.07 mg/kg. Results on soils further showed that the heavy
metal levels reduced significantly after the growing plants on contaminated soils. For the
vegetation comparative study herein, Bamboo plants showed trends that could serve to
absorb Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu. Bamboo absorption therefore translates to 6.66-16.65 kg of Zn,
7.29-18.225 kg of Cu, 1.08-2.7 kg of Pb, 39-97.5 g of Cd per ha/year. It will therefore be
appropriate to argue that building up bamboo systems along Ngongi Motoine River in
Kibera slums as a purifying model, substituting them for cultivated edible vegetation in
slums currently around wetlands is highly encouraged.
Description
Department of Chemistry, 62p. The TD 192.75 .B6 2009
Keywords
Phytoremediation, Stream restoration, Bioremediation