Abstract

TREATMENT OF CURCUMA LONGA (TURMERIC) CONTAMINATED WITH HEAVY METALS

Damera. Vineeth*, Chinna. Venkateshwar and Syeda. Azeem Unnisa

Abstract

Curcuma longa is a perennial herb belongs to family Zingiberaceae and is cultivated extensively in Asian countries. The rhizome is used medicinally as a yellow powder which is used as a flavor in many cuisines and as a medicine to treat many diseases like flatulence, jaundice, menstrual difficulties, hematuria, hemorrhage, and applied as an ointment to treat many skin diseases. The present research study was conducted to know the toxicity nature of heavy metals in plant patrts of Curcuma longa and its remediation. Pot culture experiments were conducted with three treatments till productivity levels at Greenhouse of Botanical Garden, Department of Botany, Osmania University, Hyderabad.The three treatments consists of Treatment I control without any addition of heavy metals to the soil, Treatment II - heavy metals spiked into the soil and Treatment. III, 1 % of Calcium Hydroxide added along with heavy metals to the soil. The results showed in when compared to control that Ca (OH) 2. In treatment II the high concentrations of heavy metals (Ni, Cd and Cr) are found in leaf and rhizome of Curcuma longa when compared with 1% Calcium hydroxide treated soil in (Treatment III). In addition, the plants grown in 1% Calcium hydroxide treated soil, reversed the growth suppression and inhibited the heavy metal toxicity in plants as evidenced by reduced heavy metal concentration plant parts. The study concludes that medicinal plant Curcuma longa affected with heavy metals can be treated by using 1% calcium hydroxide.

Keywords: Curcuma longa, heavy metals, calcium hydroxide, atomic absorption spectroscopy, remediation, diseases.