Effects of Red Clay on Arsenic Mobility in Contaminated Soil, Plant Growth and Plant Arsenic Accumulation

Abstract

The present study investigates the potential of red clay (RC) as an adsorbent for an
immobility of arsenic in contaminated soil (CS) which evaluates the plants growth and the
arsenic accumulation in mung beans and maize plants. Growth of mung beans and maize
plants on the amended contaminated soil showed significant effect of CR on shoot length,
and the weight of shoot and root, especially, CS amended with 2% w/w of red clay. Arsenic
concentration in the shoot and root of mung beans and maize were decreased with an
increased amount of RC from 0.5 to 2% w/w. The arsenic concentration in shoot and root of
both plants for CS amended with RC for all levels were lower than the untreated CS. The
arsenic concentration in roots was higher than shoots for both plants.

Keywords: Arsenic, Contaminated soil, Plants growth, Red clay