EKTA CHAUDHARY* AND PRAVEEN SHARMA
Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Guru Jambheshwar University of Sciences & Technology, Hisar-125 001 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail : chaudharyekta@yahoo.co.in; Mobile : 09466335577)
(Received : December 24, 2019; Accepted : February 20, 2020)
ABSTRACT
The biosphere is getting polluted by the release of various natural and synthetic pollutants which prove to be very harmful for living organisms. Several industries release heavy metals (cadmium, copper, chromium, nickel, lead, etc.) in the wastewater. Phytoremediation is a noval technology for wastewater treatment as well as for heavy metal removal. The objective of this study was to evaluate the removal efficiency of
chromium (Cr) by Lemna minor in contaminated water. Plants were treated to different Cr concentrations ranging from 1-9 mg/l. The results showed that after 14 days of treatment, percentage Cr removal rates varied from 97 to 58% for 1 to 9 mg/l, respectively, and the bioconcentration factor (BCF) and plant growth rate of Cr in L. minor were highest at initial Cr concentration and decreased as the Cr concentration increased. Cr removal by Lemna minor, therefore, is a suitable option for the treatment of Cr contaminated water.
Key words : Phytoremediation, Lemna minor, bioconcentration factor, wastewater