Potential of Catharanthus roseus applied to remediation of disparate industrial soils owing to accumulation and translocation of metals into plant parts

STATEMENT OF NOVELTY The present study was undertaken for the first time to evaluate the potential of Catharanthus roseus to remediate the industrially contaminated soils of Visakhapatnam city. Plant responses to heavy metals were analyzed based on the alterations in antioxidant potential, lignin and pectin content of plants grown in these soils. Soil pollution is one of the major environmental concerns. Since the inception of the industrial revolution, numerous perilous compounds are being introduced into the environment by various means. Of these, heavy metals are considered the important soil contaminants that present significant peril to human health. While the preventive measures of environmental pollution lie in the awareness of mankind, eliminating the interfering consequences of pollutants that have already been released into the environment is the current challenge. The present work, therefore, aimed to determine the phytoremediation potential of Catharanthus roseus based on contamination indices. The metal concentrations in soil and plant were assessed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry and Inductively Coupled Plasma -Mass Spectrophotometry. The results showed that C. roseus acted as a good tool in remediating industrially contaminated soils. Plants grown under metal stress showed enhanced antioxidant potential. Further, the plant exhibited increased chlorophyll, pectin and lignin content in response to heavy metals, suggesting significant relation between plant metabolism and mental stress. Phytoremediation using plants like C. roseus therefore, can be esthetically pleasing and more publicly acceptable than the disruptive physical and chemical processes currently in use.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the potential of Catharanthus roseus to remediate industrially contaminated soils for the first time. The results showed that C. roseus was effective in remediating contaminated soils and exhibited enhanced antioxidant potential and increased chlorophyll, pectin, and lignin content in response to metal stress.