Effects of water pollution on some physiological parameters and phytoremediation performance of watercress (Nasturtium officinale)

Abstract

Phytoremediation is a sustainable, natural, and eco-friendly approach, which is generally applied in environmental decontamination. The aim of this study was the assessment of phytoremediation performance of watercress (Nasturtium officinale) under different levels of water pollution. The shrubs of watercress were collected from the local springs adjacent to the Qarah-Sou river in Iran. In order to build an artificial culture similar to natural conditions, the water samples collected from different river sections and the harvested plants were added to the hydroponic culture. The variables of interest were organic matter and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) in river water. The physiological parameters of plant were chlorophylls a and b, proline, and carbohydrates. The results of experiments at the end of plant growth showed that there was a significant difference between initial and final water samples, and consequently watercress has high potential to remove nutrients from the polluted water. As a result of the growth of watercress in the most polluted section of river, organic matter and nutrients decreased and the nitrate concentration increased by 16.6% (due to the nitrification process). Moreover, the statistical analysis indicated that all physiological parameters are influenced by water pollution during the plant growth. The results revealed the watercress's ability to grow in different environmental conditions and approved its potential for natural wastewater purification. Therefore, we hope that this plant can be used as a new option for municipal and industrial wastewater phytoremediation.

Phytoremediation potential of sweet flag (Acorus calamus L.), an emergent macrophyte, to remove inorganic arsenic from water

“…Arsenic is a non-essential metalloid that is highly toxic to organisms including plants. Phytoremediation is a sustainable, natural, and eco-friendly approach to environmental decontamination (Amiri et al, 2020). Thus, more information is needed to identify the suitable plant species for the phytoremediation of arsenic-contaminated water.…”

Politics of the natural vegetation to balance the hazardous level of elements in marble polluted ecosystem through phytoremediation and physiological responses

“…They play a role as a sink for biologically hazardous materials (Schwitzguébel, 2017). The amount of proline concentration increases in plant species as a defense and survival mechanism to cope with environmental stress (Akshita et al, 2018;Amiri et al, 2020;Bates et al, 1973b). Exposure of plant species to pollutants causes a reduction in the amount of photosynthetic pigments (Arellano et al, 2017;Kanwal et al, 2020;Li et al, 2017;Lin and Jin, 2018).…”

Efecto del uso de aguas residuales urbanas sobre el rendimiento y la calidad microbiológica del pimentón (Capsicum annun L.) cultivado en hidroponía

“…En ese sentido, los cultivos hidropónicos, surgen como una alternativa a la falta de tierras cultivables fértiles y agua, minimizando los riesgos asociados a rendimiento y productividad en los sistemas de cultivo convencionales basados en el suelo (Majid et al, 2021). Los estudios en esta medida han estado orientados a evaluar el efecto del uso de aguas residuales sobre el rendimiento y calidad de los cultivos (Yang y Kim, 2020;Magwaza et al, 2020b;Xavier et al, 2019) y analizar el efecto biorremediador de plantas sobre contaminantes presentes en aguas residuales en sistemas hidropónicos (Amiri et al, 2020).…”

“…Estos resultados concuerdan con los reportados por Gomes Filho, R. R (2021), los cuales encontraron que los frutos de Capsicum annuum cultivado con aguas residuales cumplen con los limites microbiológicos establecidos Agencia Nacional de Vigilancia Sanitaria (ANVISA). Sin embargo, se contraponen con los reportados por Almuktar, S. A., & Scholz, M.,(2015) quienes evaluaron la calidad microbiológica de agua residual previamente tratados para el riego del cultivo de Cayenne; Capsicum annuum L. encontrando contaminación por coliformes totales, Streptococcus spp. y Salmonella spp.…”