Adsorbent Potential of Tea Waste to Control Cadmium.

The disposal of industrial wastage without proper treatment is responsible for the lowering of crop productivity with the accumulation of essential and non essential trace metals in the land. The present research was designed to evaluate Cadmium toxicity on plant growth and to describe the remedial effect of tea wastage against Cd(II) toxicity. In the given research, available data suggest that cadmium, when not detoxified rapidly enough, may trigger, via the disturbance of the redox control of the cell, a sequence of reactions leading to growth inhibition, stimulation of secondary metabolism, lignification, unspecific necrosis and finally cell death. This can be only controlled by reducing the bioavailability or uptake of toxic metal from the substratum through biosorbent substrate (i.e. tea waste). The main objective of this study was to evaluate the use of tea waste in soil contaminated with Cd2+ to control the toxic and damaging effect of metal with respect to the growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and Methi (Trigonella foenum-graecum) plants. This literature also reported the adsorbent property of tea waste for the removal of metal ion by depressing bioavailability in soils.

Saima IbrahimAssistant ProfessorDepartment of BotanyJinnah University for women Karachi,Pakistan.Gold Medalist (Overall first position in science faculty from Jinnah University for women in M.Sc Botany with specialization in Plant Physiology)