Khalid Hakeem

Flyash- an Environmental Hazard: a Case Study on Calendula Officinalis L. Khalid Hakeem

Pollution of the environment is one of the most horrible ecological crisis to which we are subjected to today. Flyash is the hazardous pollutant released by power plants. It is the inorganic product obtained by the combustion of organic coal in the boilers of thermal power plant. The environmental impact of flyash depends on its physico-chemical and chemical compositions. Flyashes derived from different coal sources are known to differ in their chemical composition and other properties such as pH and salinity. Flyash greatly influence the physiological properties of plants. The major impacts of ash disposal may include, leaching of toxic substances from ash into soils and ground water, reduction in plant establishment and growth, increase of elements in vegetation growing on flyash and transfer of elements through food chain. However, Various attempts have been made to amend the soil with flyash for beneficial growth of plant species, which need to be exploited commercially. In the present study, the effects of flyash on CALENDULA OFFICINALIS L. were observed and it was found that 5% ash content ratio is best suited for plant species while higher conc. 20% and 50% have adverse effect.