Effectiveness of Bacterial Consortium and Biochar in Remediation of Heavy Metals in Polluted Soil
Abstract
The remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil is a crucial step in environmental recovery. This study evaluated the effectiveness of bacteria and biochar in reducing lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) contamination in agricultural soil surrounding the Medan Industrial Area. A Factorial Randomized Block Design (RBD) was employed, incorporating two factors: bacteria (Corynebacterium glutamicum and Lactobacillus sp.) at three levels (0 g, 5 g, and 10 g per plant) and biochar application at three levels (0 g, 10 g, and 20 g per plant), using mustard greens (Brassica juncea) as the indicator plant. The observation parameters included biomass and Pb and Cu content in both soil and plant tissue. Data analysis was conducted using ANOVA and the Honestly Significant Difference Test (HSD) at the 5% significance level The results indicated that bacterial treatment at a level of 5 g per plant and biochar at 20 g per plant significantly increased the wet weight per plant, the wet weight per plot, and the wet weight of plant roots when biochar was administered. The concentrations of the heavy metals lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) in soil and plants decreased with increasing levels of bacteria and biochar. The average reduction in Pb in soil and plants due to bacterial treatment was 1.28% and 0.29%, respectively, while the average decrease in Cu content in soil and plants was 1.03% and 0.17%. Biochar treatment reduced Pb in soil and plants by 0.44% and 0.07%, respectively, and Cu by 0.34% and 0.08%. This study demonstrates that bacteria and biochar stabilize heavy metals in contaminated soil.
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