Potential of some aquatic plants for removal of arsenic from wastewater by green technology

Abstract

Phytoremediation or green technology is counted among the successful and effective biological contaminated water treatment techniques. Basically, the concept of this green, cost-effective, simple, environmentally nondisruptive method consists in using plants and microbiological processes to reduce contaminants in the ecosystem. Different species from aquatic plants (emerged, free-floating, and submerged) have been studied to mitigate toxic contaminants such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, zinc, etc. Arsenic is one of the most severe toxic elements; it is widely distributed in the environment, usually found in combination with chloride, oxygen, sulphur and metal ions as a result of mineral dissolution from sedimentary or volcanic rocks and the dilution of geothermal water. The effluents from both industrial and agricultural sectors are also regarded as sources to contaminate water. From the accumulation point of view, several aquatic plants have been mentioned as good arsenic accumulators and their performance is evaluated using the green technology method. These include Spirodela polyrhiza, Wolffia globosa, Lemna gibba, L. minor, Eichhornia crassipes, Azolla caroliniana, Azolla filiculoides, Azolla pinnata, Ceratophyllum demersum and Pistia stratiotes. The up-to-date information illustrated in this review paper generates knowledge about the ability of some common aquatic plants around the globe to remediate arsenic from contaminated water.

A review on arsenic in the environment: bio-accumulation, remediation, and disposal

“…Representative reports on the accumulation of As in mosses, lichens, ferns, algae, and macrophytes are summarized in Table 5. 111–141…”

“…141,155 Simulation experiments for As accumulation conducted with Hydrilla verticillata, Ceratophyllum demersum, Azolla spp., and Typha angustifolia achieved contents of up to 5000 mg kg −1 . [130][131][132][133][134][135][136] Much lower values were found for other macrophytes, such as Limnocharis ava; Azolla pinnata, Pistia stratiotes, Salvinia molesta, Nelumbo nucifera, Trapa natans, Persicaria punctata, Persicaria maculosa, Persicaria amphibia, and totora plant, which bioaccumulated up to 87.2 mg kg −1 from the contaminated water. [137][138][139][140] Remediation Arsenic contamination of the environment is a widespread problem in many areas due to serious health risks.…”