Assessment of Heavy Metal Accumulation potential of Malva parviflora L. in Soil of the Al-Hawari Industrial Area, Benghazi, Libya

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of common mallow (Malva parviflora L.) in taking up heavy metals (Zinc (Zn), Chromium (Cr), Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni)) from soil impacted by emanations from a cement production facility in the Al-Hawari industrial zone, Benghazi, Libya. Soil and vegetation (roots and aerial parts) samples were gathered from the location and examined in the lab. Findings demonstrated that the earth was basic (pH = 7.9 ± 0.1) and high in clay (68.45%) and calcium carbonate (27.78 ± 1.5%). Phytochemical examination of the flora disclosed a wealth of tannins and phenolics. The Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) and Translocation Factor (TF) were computed to gauge plant performance. Chromium registered the greatest BCF figure (12.700), whereas Zinc registered the highest TF figure (5.643). Nickel displayed a distinct tendency toward fixation in the roots (TF = 0.708). Inferential testing utilizing a paired t-test suggested variations in average levels between roots and shoots, although these did not achieve the typical threshold of statistical importance (p > 0.05), which might be due to the high inherent fluctuation in field measurements. The outcomes indicate that common mallow possesses notable capacity for application in phytoremediation techniques, for both uptake (of Zn and Cr) and immobilization (of Ni), in comparable industrial settings