Plant biomass as potential economic commodities for agricultural purposes
The world’s population is growing continually and is projected to reach nine billion by the year 2050. This growth rate requires increased and economically viable food production and an adequate supply of quality water to sustain life. Increased food production and supply of water require adding fer...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Chemistry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2022.806772/full |
| _version_ | 1828108949524578304 |
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| author | Veronica C. Obuseng Mohau N. Moshoeshoe Florence M. Nareetsile Habauka Kwaambwa Irene Maina |
| author_facet | Veronica C. Obuseng Mohau N. Moshoeshoe Florence M. Nareetsile Habauka Kwaambwa Irene Maina |
| author_sort | Veronica C. Obuseng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The world’s population is growing continually and is projected to reach nine billion by the year 2050. This growth rate requires increased and economically viable food production and an adequate supply of quality water to sustain life. Increased food production and supply of water require adding fertilizers and possible recycling of wastewater, to address the improvement of soils’ nutritional status and potable water shortages, respectively. The objectives of this work were to determine the nutrients in sewage-impacted wastewater, borehole water, agricultural waste, and commercial fertilizer (control) materials, and their heavy metal content was also carried out to determine their suitability for use. In addition, Moringa seed pods and Morula nutshells were investigated as a bioremedial approach for the removal of toxic metals from aqueous samples. An attempt to regenerate sorbent was made since the saturated sorbents that contain the metal ions are not safe for disposal as they can pollute the environment. Nutrients were analyzed by HPLC, while metals were analyzed using a Varian 220FS Atomic Absorption Spectrometer operated with air/acetylene. Nonedible agricultural materials were found to contain appreciable amounts of plant nutrients such as nitrates (NO3-), nitrites (NO2-), and phosphates (PO43-) as well as metal ions such as magnesium, copper, and zinc, which are beneficial for plant growth. Results obtained from analysis of sewage water effluent showed that heavy metal and nutrient concentrations decreased in the treatment stage. The utilization of Moringa oleifera seed pods for metal removal from wastewater is viable and would reduce costs for waste disposal and can offer alternatives to conventional methods for the removal of unwanted or toxic species from the environment. It showed potential for removing selected metal ions such as Pb, Cd, Cu, Fe, and Zn from polluted water. This organically treated wastewater is environmentally friendly and may be used for applications which do not require potable water, such as irrigating golf courses, lawns, and crops, or for industrial purposes, if proper measures are taken to ensure its quality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:54:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-14f1719b2b8b4c3c9bc1f4c44c0ea0eb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2646 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:54:59Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Chemistry |
| spelling | doaj.art-14f1719b2b8b4c3c9bc1f4c44c0ea0eb2022-12-22T04:28:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Chemistry2296-26462022-09-011010.3389/fchem.2022.806772806772Plant biomass as potential economic commodities for agricultural purposesVeronica C. Obuseng0Mohau N. Moshoeshoe1Florence M. Nareetsile2Habauka Kwaambwa3Irene Maina4Department of Chemistry, University of Botswana, Gaborone, BotswanaNational University of Lesotho, Roma, LesothoDepartment of Chemistry, University of Botswana, Gaborone, BotswanaDepartment of Natural and Applied Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology, Windhoek, NamibiaDepartment of Chemical and Forensic Sciences, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, BotswanaThe world’s population is growing continually and is projected to reach nine billion by the year 2050. This growth rate requires increased and economically viable food production and an adequate supply of quality water to sustain life. Increased food production and supply of water require adding fertilizers and possible recycling of wastewater, to address the improvement of soils’ nutritional status and potable water shortages, respectively. The objectives of this work were to determine the nutrients in sewage-impacted wastewater, borehole water, agricultural waste, and commercial fertilizer (control) materials, and their heavy metal content was also carried out to determine their suitability for use. In addition, Moringa seed pods and Morula nutshells were investigated as a bioremedial approach for the removal of toxic metals from aqueous samples. An attempt to regenerate sorbent was made since the saturated sorbents that contain the metal ions are not safe for disposal as they can pollute the environment. Nutrients were analyzed by HPLC, while metals were analyzed using a Varian 220FS Atomic Absorption Spectrometer operated with air/acetylene. Nonedible agricultural materials were found to contain appreciable amounts of plant nutrients such as nitrates (NO3-), nitrites (NO2-), and phosphates (PO43-) as well as metal ions such as magnesium, copper, and zinc, which are beneficial for plant growth. Results obtained from analysis of sewage water effluent showed that heavy metal and nutrient concentrations decreased in the treatment stage. The utilization of Moringa oleifera seed pods for metal removal from wastewater is viable and would reduce costs for waste disposal and can offer alternatives to conventional methods for the removal of unwanted or toxic species from the environment. It showed potential for removing selected metal ions such as Pb, Cd, Cu, Fe, and Zn from polluted water. This organically treated wastewater is environmentally friendly and may be used for applications which do not require potable water, such as irrigating golf courses, lawns, and crops, or for industrial purposes, if proper measures are taken to ensure its quality.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2022.806772/fullheavy metalnitratesnitritesphosphateswastewater |
| spellingShingle | Veronica C. Obuseng Mohau N. Moshoeshoe Florence M. Nareetsile Habauka Kwaambwa Irene Maina Plant biomass as potential economic commodities for agricultural purposes Frontiers in Chemistry heavy metal nitrates nitrites phosphates wastewater |
| title | Plant biomass as potential economic commodities for agricultural purposes |
| title_full | Plant biomass as potential economic commodities for agricultural purposes |
| title_fullStr | Plant biomass as potential economic commodities for agricultural purposes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plant biomass as potential economic commodities for agricultural purposes |
| title_short | Plant biomass as potential economic commodities for agricultural purposes |
| title_sort | plant biomass as potential economic commodities for agricultural purposes |
| topic | heavy metal nitrates nitrites phosphates wastewater |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2022.806772/full |
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