| Dissertation note |
Under present study the effectiveness of the two aquatic plants water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) were tested for the removal of five heavy metals Zinc, Copper, Lead, Iron and nickel by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Biological Oxygen demand, Chemical oxygen demand and pH of landfill leachate before and after treatment were also investigated. The reduction in the pH after the treatment with both these plants was > 1 percent, average reduction of BOD and COD by P. stratiotesE. crassipes was 35% to 45%. Results revealed revealed E. crassipes as the more proficient candidate for the removal of chosen heavy metals followed by P. stratiotes. Pistia stratiotes was able to accumulate highest concentration for Zinc and Cu with the removal efficiency of 79% and 78% respectively, meanwhile Eichhornia crassipes verified as best accumulator as it shows highest efficiency for the selected heavy metals Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni and Fe i.e 89%, 88%, 86%, 85% and 84% respectively. Translocation factor was also calculated from root to shoot concentration. TF calculation revealed higher accumulation of heavy metals in roots then shoots of the tested plants. Significant correlation exists between the accumulation of heavy metals by the plants and the metal concentration in final leachate wastewater. Both these plants accumulate heavy metals inside their body without showing any reduction in growth and showing tolerance to all the chosen metals. Thus the results obtained from the study suggest that aquatic plant can be better candidate for phytoremediation technology due to the cost effectiveness. |
