Evaluation of Chelating Agents for Remediation of Lead Contaminated Soil in Brebes Central Java

摘要

Intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides on agricultural land contributes to lead contamination of land and agricultural products. Though fertilizers and pesticides are the main means of agricultural production. One effort to remediate lead-contaminated agricultural land by using a chelating agent. The purpose of this study is to reduce lead contaminants in soil from agricultural land. The study was conducted in January-December 2018 at the onion center in Java (Brebes, Central Java) which indicated lead metal contamination. The experiment used a Randomized Block Design (RBD), consisting of 5 treatments namely farmer control/treatment, chitosan, Ethylene Diamin Tetra Acetate / EDTA, bio compost, zeolite and ammonium thiosulfate with 3 replications. The onion variety used is the Bima Curut variety. The parameters observed included the growth and yield of shallots, the metal content of ground lead after the application of chelating agents, the levels of lead metal in the soil and tubers after harvest. The percentage decrease in Pb in the soil after the chelating agent treatment decreased by ≥ 50%. EDTA treatment was able to reduce Pb in the soil to 11.21 mg/kg after harvest, but EDTA treatment was less supportive for plant growth and production.