OTON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SCP-SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
J.P. Laurel Street, Oton, Iloilo
Chapter 1
Introduction to the Study
Chapter one consists of five major parts: (1) Background and Theoretical
Framework of the Study, (2) Statement of the Problem and the Hypothesis, (3)
Significance of the Study, (4) Definition of Terms, (5) Scope and Delimitation of
the Study.
Part One, Background and Theoretical Framework of the Study, gives the
reasons and basis for the choice of the problem, identifies the variables used in
the study, and presents the theoretical framework upon which the study was
anchored. Part Two, Statement of the Problem and Hypothesis states the specific
problem to be answered in the study and the hypothesis to be tested by the
researcher.
Part Three, Significance of the Study, cites the benefits that may be
derived from the result of the investigation.
Part Four, Definition of Terms, gives the conceptual and the operational
meaning of the important terms used in the study.
Part Five, Scope and Delimitation, specifies the limits and coverage of the
study.
OTON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SCP-SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
J.P. Laurel Street, Oton, Iloilo
Background of the Study
Factories, chemical pesticides, and transportation are just the few reasons why our
soil contains huge amount of heavy metals. These heavy metals that are produced by
these man-made activities are the one’s responsible for the contamination of our soils as
well as our waters. The term “heavy metals” refers to any metallic element that has a
relatively high density and is toxic or poisonous even at low concentrations (Lenntech,
2018).
The heavy metals that are present in the soil pose a threat to humans and animals if
present in large quantities. Therefore, it is recommended to develop effective and
environmental-friendly soil remediation approach. Phytoremediation is one way of
having an effective and environmental-friendly soil remediation approach.
Phytoremediation (‘phyto’ means plant; ‘remediation’ means restore) is the generic term
for technologies using plants for remediating soils, and contaminated water with
contaminants like heavy metals (United Nations Environment Programme, n.d)
The most common and abundant heavy metals found in contaminated sites are:
Lead (Pb), Chromium (Cr), Arsenic (As), Zinc (Zn), Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), and
Mercury (Hg); ranked from most abundant to least abundant respectively (Evanko and
Dzombak, 1997). With Lead (Pb) being the first most abundant among all the heavy
metals in contaminated sites, Lead (Pb) will be focused the most by the researcher in this
research study.
OTON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SCP-SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
J.P. Laurel Street, Oton, Iloilo
There are many plants that can remediate the heavy metals in the soil. One of them is
the Ladder brake (Pteris vittata) plant. According to Xiao et al. (2008), Ladder brake
(Pteris vittata) is a potential plant for remediating cadmium and arsenic. The researcher,
on the other hand, will be using the Lirio Flower as a potential plant for remediation of
Lead (Pb).
Lirio also known as “Pink-stripped trumpet lily. Of the family Amaryllidaceae, it is
cultivated for its beautiful, fragrant flowers, and enourmous size. They are found in
seasonally moist areas, including marshes, swamps, depressions and along sides of
streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, thus it may be considered
a metal-tolerant plant. Since Lirio (Crinum latifolium) can be considered as a metal-
tolerant plant, then it is a potential plant for phytoremediating heavy metals in the soil.
In this regard, the researchers made a study about the phytoremediation potential
of Lirio (Crinum latifolium) on Lead (Pb) contaminated soil.
OTON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SCP-SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
J.P. Laurel Street, Oton, Iloilo
Below is figure 1 that shows the research paradigm of the study.
Independent Variables Dependent Variables
Size of Container Amount of Lead (Pb) taken
from the soil
Amount of water
Weights of the plants after the
remediation process
Type of water
Statement of the Study
Generally, this study aimed to determine if Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus)
has the capacity to remediate heavy metals in the soil
Specifically, this study aimed to answer the following questions:
1. How much Lead (Pb) was remediated by the Lirio (Crinum latifolium)
2. What is the mean amount of Lead (Pb) in ppm left in the water samples after
the remediation process of the Lirio plant (Crinum latifolium)
OTON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SCP-SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
J.P. Laurel Street, Oton, Iloilo
3. How much Lead (Pb) was taken from the water samples after the remediation
process of the Lirio plant (Crinum latifolium) (in percentage)?
Significance of the study
If this study will somehow be proven successful, this study will benefit
the following:
To the society, this study will be significant because it will provide
information about the ability of the plants to remediate the toxic chemicals
contained in our soils. It will acknowledge the people to use green technology
to remediate the heavy, toxic chemicals in our soils.
To my fellow students, this study will be significant because it will give
them ideas about the properties of the Lirio and other Lily plants.
To the field of Science and Technology, this study will be significant
because it will contribute in such a way of determining an environmental-
friendly and a sustainable approach to lessen or to remove the heavy and toxic
chemicals in the soil.
Definition of terms
Heavy metals. It refers to any metallic element that has a relatively high density
and is toxic or poisonous even at low concentrations (Lenntech, 2018).
In this study, the heavy metals refer to the general classification of the metal
contaminants present in the artificial contaminated soil.
OTON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SCP-SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
J.P. Laurel Street, Oton, Iloilo
Hyperaccumulators. It describes a number of plants that belong to distantly
related families but share the ability to grow on metalliferous soils and to accumulate
extraordinarily high amounts of heavy metals in the aerial organs, far in excess of the
levels found in the majority of species, without suffering phytotoxic effects (Rascio and
Navari-Izzo, 2010).
In this study, ‘Hyperaccumulators’ refer to the species of plants that has the
ability to remediate heavy metals in the soil.
Lead (Pb). It is a heavy and toxic chemical that can be in our ground soil because
of human activities. Lead is a particularly dangerous chemical, as it can accumulate in
individual organisms, but also in entire food chains (Lenntech, 2018).
In this study, Lead (Pb) refers to the heavy metal or the contaminant present in the
artificial contaminated soil.
Lirio (Crinum latifolium)- Lirio also known as “Pink-stripped trumpet lily. Of the
family Amaryllidaceae, it is cultivated for its beautiful, fragrant flowers, and enourmous
size. They are found in seasonally moist areas, including marshes, swamps, depressions
and along sides of streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide.
In this study, Lirio(Crinum) refers to the plant that will be used by the researcher
to remediate the heavy metal contaminants present in the artificial contaminated soil.
OTON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SCP-SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
J.P. Laurel Street, Oton, Iloilo
Phytoremediation. It (‘phyto’ means plant; ‘remediation’ means restore) is the
generic term for technologies using plants for remediating soils, and contaminated water
with contaminants like heavy metals (UNEP, n.d).
In this study, Phytoremediation refers to the natural ability of the Lemon grass
(Cymbopogon citratus) to remove the heavy metal contaminants present in the artificial
contaminated soil.
Scope and Delimitations of the study
This study entitled Phytoremediation potential Lirio (Crinum) on Lead (Pb)
contaminated soil focused mainly on the abilities of the Lirio (Crinum) to remediate the
Lead (Pb) which is the heavy-metal-contaminant in the contaminated soil.
The contaminated soil was retrieved at the laboratory which the researchers
induced Lead(Pb) into the pots . The Lirio (Crinum) itself was used by the researcher;
therefore, the plants do not represent their species and family as potential plants for
phytoremediation.
The Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) that was used to measure the
amount of Lead (Pb) in the soil was conducted at the laboratory of University of San
Agustin. They had an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer which we used to measure
the amount of Lead (Pb) in the soil.
OTON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SCP-SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
J.P. Laurel Street, Oton, Iloilo
OTON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SCP-SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
J.P. Laurel Street, Oton, Iloilo
