Potential of Lupinus mutabilis Sweet (tarwi) to mitigate cadmium contamination in agricultural soils of the Puente Piedra district, Lima 2023

Abstract

This study evaluated the potential of Lupinus mutabilis Sweet (Tarwi) in the phytoremediation of cadmium-contaminated soils in the Puente Piedra district, Lima. A quantitative approach was adopted with an experimental design that included four treatments: T0 (0 mg CdSO4/L), T1 (25 mg CdSO4/L), T2 (45 mg CdSO4/L), and T3 (65 mg CdSO4/L). After 18 days of exposure, the final cadmium concentrations in the soil were measured, yielding the following values: T1 (19.71 mg/kg), T2 (39.18 mg/kg), and T3 (58.67 mg/kg). The results indicated that higher cadmium concentrations in the soil corresponded to lower removal percentages by Lupinus mutabilis. Additionally, significant changes were observed in the morphology of the stem, root, and leaf during the treatment period. Statistical analysis using the Student's T-test showed that the physical changes in leaves were significant for the T0-T1 and T0-T3 pairs, while changes in the stem and root were significant for all treatments (T0-T1, T0-T2, and T0-T3). In conclusion, the study demonstrated that Lupinus mutabilis can mitigate cadmium contamination in agricultural soils, although the effectiveness decreases as cadmium concentration increases.