COMMON MARE'S TAIL (Hippuris vulgaris L.) IN THE ASSESSMENT OF WATER STATUS AND THEIR PHYTOREMEDIATION

Abstract

Pollution of aquatic ecosystems continues to be a problem in developed countries, resulting in a reduction in the biodiversity of organisms associated with these habitats. In many countries, macrophyte indices are used to assess surface water pollution. They apply both to determining the ecological status of lakes and rivers. The presence of aquatic plants informs, among others, on the level of water eutrophication, and the analysis of the content of metals in plants indicates the pollution of water ecosystems with metals. Failure to reach the key objective of the Water Framework Directive, i.e. good water status, by 2015 forces the search for new ways of water management, including cheap and environmentally friendly methods of treatment of contaminated and used waters. The results of research on the possibilities and limitations in the functioning of individual species of aquatic plants in polluted and used waters allow for the rational selection of plants for phytoremediation of aquatic ecosystems. The aim of this review was to discuss the biological features of common mare's tail and its habitat and to determine the plant's ability to develop in waters contaminated with biogenic compounds and metals, and to determine its ability to uptake metals measured by the effectiveness of removing contaminants. It was found that mare's tail occurs in waters with variable concentration of biogenic compounds and metals. Irrespectively of the concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the plant growth medium, each introduction of lead, zinc, copper, manganese and iron into the plant growth medium, in quantities corresponding to the limit values for V class water quality, caused their increased uptake by mare's tail. The accumulation of these elements reflects the state of water pollution with metals. Nevertheless, water pollution with some metals causes the biomass of the plant to be reduced. Due to high efficiency of removing various impurities by mare's tail, the plant can be used in the hydrophytic systems of wastewater treatment but its best use is for the purpose of after-treatment of municipal wastewater.

Journal of Water and Land Development

“…The studies conducted so far in natural aquatic ecosystems [GAŁCZYŃSKA, BEDNARZ 2012;POLECHOŃSKA, DAMBIEC 2014;POLE-CHOŃSKA et al 2017;POLECHOŃSKA, SAMECKA-CYMERMAN 2015;SKWIERAWSKI, SKWIERAWSKA 2013] show the possibility of occurrence of H. morsus-ranae in waters contaminated with metals, including heavy metals. The results confirming the accumulation of substantial amounts of metals in the plant's tissues as well as high efficiency of such accumulation in defined environmental conditions, support including H. morsus-ranae to a group of bioindicators of waters contaminated with metals [GAŁCZYŃSKA 2012;POLECHOŃSKA, DAMBIEC 2014;POLECHOŃSKA et al 2017;POLECHOŃSKA, SAMECKA-CYMERMAN 2015]. Chlorophyll content is one of the parameters which may indicate the viability of a bioindicator when conducting studies.…”

“…Due to high phytoremediation potential of H. morsus-ranae and quick decomposition time of the plant combined with the release of the elements accumulated in the leaves to water [GAŁCZYŃSKA 2012;POLECHOŃSKA, SAMECKA-CYMERMAN 2015;, the possibility of using the plant for phytoremediation of waters contaminated with metals are limited mainly by the length of application time.…”