PJB-2020-193
ASSESSMENT OF MACRO- AND TRACE-ELEMENTS PROFILE OF SUGAR PRESS MUD (CENTRAL PUNJAB, PAKISTAN) BY ICP-OES – A PROPOSED PERSPECTIVE AS AQUA-FERTILIZER
KASHIFA NAGHMA WAHEED
Abstract
This original research was carried out to portrait information on Macro- and Trace-Elemental profile of sugar press mud (SPM), a by-product of sugarcane industry being largely wasted in Pakistan. The purpose of this study was the feasibility study of SPM as a futuristic aquaculture fertilizer. Its sampling was done from nine randomly chosen Sugar Mills situated in Central Punjab, Pakistan. The quantitative determination of SPM samples was carried out through ICP-OES following protocols of AOAC. The overall scenario showed that the three categories of elements analyzed maintained their boundaries well in all the SPM samples collected from various sites showing appreciable higher concentrations of essential elements viz: N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S (Range: 2505.50 - 37587.14 µgg-1) followed by relatively lesser levels of essential trace elements viz: B, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Sr and Zn (Range: N.D. - 999.95 µgg-1) and much lower amounts of toxic elements viz: Al, Ba, Cd, La, Li and Pb (Range: N.D. - 52.93 µgg-1) on dry weight basis. The present research exhibited that the SPM is a source of high levels of essential elements having safe levels of toxic elements, thus showing the capabilities to be applied as a fertilizer to fulfill the requirements of Aquaculture needs.
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