Polychlorinated biphenyls remediation in soil using moringa seeds and coconut shell based adsorbents

Ezekiel Gube Ibrahim, Samuel John Salami, John Stephen Gushit, Moorey Bimbut Dalen and Mercy Ayinya Gube-Ibrahim

Abstract

The occurrence and remediation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in soil from Jos, Plateau State Nigeria was carried out. The polychlorinated biphenyls in the soil was extracted with hexane-acetone mixture (1:1) in ultrasonic bath and cleaned with column chromatography packed with silica gel. The polychlorinated biphenyls were quantified using Agilent 6975 Gas chromatography Mass Spectrophotometer and the concentrations were found as: PCB18 (0.71), PCB20 (0.37), PCB28 (0.38), PCB29 (0.38), PCB44 (0.42), PCB52 (0.66), PCB101 (0.61), PCB105 (0.17), PCB137 (0.64), PCB142 (0.33), PCB153 (0.42), PCB170 (0.13) and PCB180 (0.21) mg/kg. After remediation of PCB with moringa seeds, the concentration were as; PCB20 (0.28), PCB28 (0.28), PCB29 (0.28), PCB52 (0.30), PCB101 (0.18) and PCB143 (0.91), while the others removed completely. The moringa seeds powder removed the PCBs completely except PCB105. The activated carbon (AC) prepared moringa seeds reduced the concentrations of BCBs as; PCB 18 (0.04), PCB 20 (0.011), PCB 28 (0.019), PCB 29 (0.019), PCB 44 (0.021), PCB 52 (0.33), PCB 101 (0.031), PCB137 (0.032), PCB 142 (0.017), PCB 153 (0.021), PCB 170 (0.007) and PCB 180 (0.011) mg/kg. The result suggests that moringa seed powder could possibly be served as an excellent means of remediation for polychlorinated biphenyls in contaminated soil.