Tannery is an oldest and fastest growing industry in India. Tannery effluents are ranked as the highest pollutant among all the industrial wastes. The tannery industries are the major disposes of chromium which is harmful to human health and it is toxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic and teratogenic. Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that uses various plants to degrade or immobilize contaminants from soil and water. Sesuvium portulacastrum tolerates abiotic constraints such as salinity, drought and toxic metals. Under abiotic stresses (salt, drought and heavy metal), S. portulacastrum exhibits various adaptations through morphological, physiological and biochemical changes. The present study investigated the phytoremediation potential of S. portulacastrum on removal of salt and heavy metal in tannery effluent contaminated soil. From the results, S. portulacastrum accumulated highest Na (62 to 158 mg kg-1 ) in tap water irrigated with vermicompost applied plants. In effluent irrigated plants highest Na (62 to 136 mg kg-1 ) was observed in vermicompost applied plants. S. portulacastrum accumulated highest chromium (4.01 to 51.25 mg kg-1 ) was observed in vermicompost applied with tap water irrigated plants. In effluent irrigated plants highest chromium (4.01 to 33.15 mg kg-1 ) was observed in vermicompost applied plants. S. portulacastrum significantly reduced the pH, EC, Na and Cr levels in tannery effluent contaminated soil and correspondingly increased in plant sample. S. portulacastrum was an efficient in accumulating salt and heavy metal in their tissue and the phytoremediation studies indicates that S. portulacastrum could be used for phytoremediation of tannery effluent contaminated soil.
