Abstract

ANALYSIS OF HEAVY METALS REMOVAL BY EICHHORNIA CRASSIPES (MART.) SOLMS

*Sangya S. Bais, Kapil Lawrence, Vriddhi Nigam

ABSTRACT

The pollutants discharged into the environment pose a serious threat living organisms. In view of this, levels of some heavy metals like Cd2+, Fe3+and Ni2+ were determined in water samples collected from the waste water bodies formed due to domestic sewage and slum areas in Allahabad nearby regions. The levels of heavy metals were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. The results obtained shows the pattern of the sites having highest heavy metal accumulation in the plant was Cd2+> Ni2+> Fe3+. The degree of water phytoremediation from these sampling sites followed the order: rainy>winter> summer seasons. The mean values of all heavy metal content in the water samples collected were recorded maximum in waste water bodies (control without E. crassipes ) with respect to water bodies (present with naturally grown E. crassipes ) in the nearby study regions of Allahabad. Phytoremediation considered as the best technology in order to solve the sewage pollution. The main objective of the study is the tremendous capacity of E. crassipes to reduce and absorb toxic heavy metals and other pollutants from wastewater bodies.

Keywords: Heavy Metals, Waste Water bodies, Domestic Sewage, Industrial Effluents.