Phytoremediation of Heavy Metals ( Cu , Zn , and PB ) Contaminated Water Using Water Hyacinth ( Eichornia Crassipes ) 1
Water samples contaminated with heavy metals (Zn, Cu and Pb) were subjected to phytoremediation method using water hyacinth (E. crassipes) for the period of 8 weeks. The study involved the preparation of the heavy metals solutions in different concentrations (their pH values supplemented) into eight 40L plastic containers, with six containers having the solutions of heavy metals (Zn, Cu and Pb in their replicates) while two plastic containers served as the control. Thereafter, the experiment was monitored and analyzed for 8 weeks for metal accumulation by the plant. Water analysis was carried out to know the concentration of heavy metals present in the water during these periods and the plants were also analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The results obtained were further interpreted using SPSS (T-test) to determine the mean concentration obtained from week 1 to week 8.The results obtained for Zn were 0.28 ,0.23 ,0.13 ,0.04 ,BDL,0.02 ,BDL,BDL .Also the results obtained for Cu from week 1 to week 8 were 0.04 ,0.07 ,0.03, BDL ,BDL ,BDL ,BDL ,BDL. More so, the results obtained for Pb from week 1 to week 8 were 0.13, 0.45, 0.05, BDL, BDL, BDL, BDL, BDL. At the end of the 8 weeks of remediation, it was observed that the concentrations of the metals in the water were below the detection limit but accumulated in the plant. Also, the results of the Bioconcentration factor (BCF) showed that the investigated plant (E.crassipes) hyperaccummulated Zn than other heavy metals. Therefore, heavy metal uptake by E. crassipes using phytoremediation technology seems to be a prosperous way to remediate heavy metal contaminated environment.
A review on the phytoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon.
Oil spillage as a result of petroleum industry activities and pipe-line vandalization by saboteurs is a frequent occurrence in oil-producing regions of the world. Conventional oil spill clean-up techniques involve physical and chemical processes that do more damage to the aquatic ecosystem than the oil spill itself. Consequently, the need arises to evolve or develop a more environment-friendly technique that will not only clean-up the environment but also restore the aquatic ecosystem to its status before the oil spill. Phytoremediation, which involves the use of plant to detoxify polluted site, appears to be promising in this regard. It is environment-friendly as well as cost-effective but may take more time than the conventional methods because it is a natural process.
Remediation of contaminated soils with green plants: An overview
SummaryBillions of dollars each year are spent on the remediation of contaminated soils in the United States alone. Contaminated soils represent an economic liability as well as a technical challenge. New technologies are needed to address numerous contaminants, especially those that are neither volatile nor mobile in soil solutions. One emerging technology, “phytoremediation”, employs green plants in the remediation process. The technique is relatively new, with few field demonstrations; however, it represents an ever-growing area of research built on a sound technical basis. This technology draws heavily from a wide range of agronomic, biological, and engineering disciplines. Exploiting all plant-influenced biological, microbial, chemical, and physical processes to remediate contaminated sites is the goal of much research in this area. In certain situations, sites remediated with a plant- based technology are expected to have significant economic, aesthetic, and technical advantages over traditional engineering solutions. This paper provides an overview of the phytoremediation area with an emphasis on providing background information and research avenues to plant biologists.