ABSTRACT
A study of the effect of biochar (charcoal) on microbial colonization and heavy metal concentration in polluted soil was conducted for eighth (8) weeks between September to October, during the cropping season of 2018, at the faculty of Agriculture, Kogi State University, Anyigba. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of biochar on microbial colonization and heavy metal concentration in a polluted soil. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) and the data collected were subjected to ANOVA using SPSS. The study revealed lower count in bacteria and fungi in non amended polluted soil compared to biochar amended polluted soil which has higher count in both bacteria and fungi. There were significant differences at (p≤ 0.05) probability level in both count for bacteria and fungi. The result obtained suggested that the pollution by heavy metals distorted the growth of micro organism and the addition of biochar (charcoal) as an organic amendment helped to increase the number of microorganisms present in the polluted soil.The study also revealed higher concentration of heavy metals in non amended polluted soil compared to polluted soil amended with biochar which had lower concentration of heavy metals. There were significant difference at (p≤ 0.05) in the concentration of heavy metals in the polluted soil at both four (4) and eight (8) weeks. The result suggested the degree of pollution in soil is a function of the concentration of heavy metals in it and that biochar (charcoal) as an organic amendment helped to reduce the concentration of the heavy metals in such polluted soil.
Reference 52
5.2 Recommendation 51
5.1 Conclusion 51
5.0 Conclusion and Recommendation
CHAPTER FIVE
4.3.3 Correlation of microbes against heavy metals 49
4.3.2 Correlation of biochar against heavy metals 48
4.3.1 Correlation of biochar against microorganism 47
4.3 Correlation analysis 47
4.2.3 Heavy metal analysis at eight (8) weeks 42
4.2.2 Heavy metal analysis at four (4) weeks 37
4.2.1 Heavy metal analysis of pre-field soil sample 36
4.2 Heavy metal analysis 36
4.1.6 Total fungi count at eight (8) weeks 33
4.1.5 Total fungi count at four (4) weeks 31
4.1.4 Fungi count of pre-field soil sample 30
4.1.3 Total aerobic heterotrophic bacteria count at eight (8) weeks 28
4.1.2 Total aerobic heterotrophic bacteria count at four (4) weeks 26
4.1.1 Bacteria count of pre-field soil sample 25
4.1 Microbial analyses 25
4.0 Result and Discussion 25
CHAPTER FOUR
3.8 Statistical Analysis 24
3.7.1 Estimation of total heterotrophic bacteria and total fungi content 24
3.7 Microbial Analysis 24
3.6.1 Heavy metal analysis in soil 23
3.6 Heavy Metal Analysis 23
3.5 Experimental Procedure 23
3.4 Treatment and Experimental Design 23
3.3 Soil sample preparation 22
3.2 Sample collection 22
3.1 Experimental Area 22
3.0 Materials and method 22
CHAPTER THREE
2.6 Microbes possessing metabolic pathway to utilize heavy metals 19
2.5 Permissible limit of heavy metal in soil and plant 14
2.4 Naturally occurring heavy metal 14
2.3 Heavy metals in soil 13
2.2 Soil composition 12
2.1.6 Environmental impact of biochar 12
2.1.5 Agricultural impact of biochar 11
2.1.4 Production of biochar 11
2.1.3 Biochar as organic material 7
2.1.2 Benefit of biochar in soil 4
2.1.1 Background 4
