Evaluation of herbaceous plants as phytoremediators of cocoa soils contaminated with cadmium
Journal
Revista Internacional de Contaminación Ambiental
Date Issued
2025-06-25
Author(s)
Manuel Danilo Carrillo Zenteno
Merley Patricia Orosco Maldonado
Ana Karen Peña Jordan
Luz María Martínez Buñay
Karina Elizabeth Peña Salazar
Yelitza García-Orellana
Abstract
The cultivation of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is one of the most important crops in Ecuador. However, the presence of heavy metals in the soil is of concern, with cadmium (Cd) being one of the most worrisome contaminants, and its presence in the kernel has become a limiting factor for export. This work aimed to determine the capacity of arboreal plants to extract Cd. Therefore, nine species were evaluated in sandy-frank soil with 2.4 % MO and a pH of 6.2, contaminated with 3 mg/kg of Cd. The variables evaluated were dry matter, soil and rhizosphere pH, Cd concentration and content, and translocation factor.
The weed species that showed high adaptability and absorbed significant amounts of Cd were Pseudelephantopus spiralis, Oplismenus burmannii, Geophila macropoda, and Ipomoea grandifolia. In contrast, Commelina difusa, Pseudelephantopus spiralis, Cissus verticillata, Epipomoea verticillata, and Epipremnum aureum functioned as metal stabilizers, indicating that they can be considered as hyperaccumulators of Cd, facilitating its safe removal from the soil. © 2025, Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera, UNAM. All rights reserved.
The weed species that showed high adaptability and absorbed significant amounts of Cd were Pseudelephantopus spiralis, Oplismenus burmannii, Geophila macropoda, and Ipomoea grandifolia. In contrast, Commelina difusa, Pseudelephantopus spiralis, Cissus verticillata, Epipomoea verticillata, and Epipremnum aureum functioned as metal stabilizers, indicating that they can be considered as hyperaccumulators of Cd, facilitating its safe removal from the soil. © 2025, Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera, UNAM. All rights reserved.