Using Ornamental Plants as a Botanical Approach for Treatment of Lead Pollution

Abstract

Lead (Pb) contamination has become a major environmental concern due to rapid industrialization, urbanization, and anthropogenic activities, adversely affecting ecosystem health and agricultural productivity.This study evaluates the phytoremediation potential of three ornamental plant species Sansevieria trifasciata, Canna indica, and Tradescantia pallida under lead (Pb) acetate stress and citric acid (CA) chelation. A split-plot experimental design was employed with plant species as the main plot factor and Pb concentration × citric acid combinations as sub-plot treatments, with three replicates each containing three plants. Vegetative parameters assessed included plant height, leaf area, number of leaves, fresh and dry weight of leaves, and root length. Chemical analyses comprised total chlorophyll, carbohydrate content, proline, as well as soil electrical conductivity (EC) and pH. Results over two consecutive growing seasons (2024 and 2025) demonstrated consistent and reproducible findings: lead contamination significantly impaired all vegetative and biochemical parameters in a dose dependent manner across both seasons. Application of citric acid at 1.0 g kg⁻¹ consistently mitigated Pb toxicity and partially restored growth. Among the three species, Canna indica exhibited the highest biomass and greatest vegetative growth recovery under CA treatment, while Sansevieria trifasciata demonstrated the most robust intrinsic tolerance mechanisms. Tradescantia pallida showed moderate tolerance with notable proline accumulation under high Pb stress. The agreement between both seasons confirms the reliability of these findings. Overall, Canna indica is recommended as the most suitable ornamental species for greening Pb contaminated environments, with supplemental citric acid chelation maximizing its remediation efficiency.