Phytoremediation of Cr(VI)-rich wastewater using water hyacinth, water lettuce and duckweed

Abstract

Chromium(VI) contamination is carcinogenic and largely anthropogenic, stemming from specific industries. With Bangladesh experiencing rapid industrialization, the increasing number of industries necessitates an economic and sustainable secondary treatment process to maintain acceptable chromium levels. Phytoremediation, an environmentally friendly biochemical technique, has been extensively researched, particularly in the context of constructed wetlands. However, due to land scarcity and legal issues a constructed wetland is not the most viable option. In this study, three native aquatic plants—Eichhornia crassipes (Water Hyacinth), Pistia stratiotes (Water Lettuce), and Lemna minor (Duckweed)—were chosen to evaluate their effectiveness in removing chromium from wastewater. These plants underwent testing with five different chromium concentrations (1 mg/L, 2 mg/L, 3 mg/L, 4 mg/L, 5 mg/L) and two pH values (6 and 8) using natural ditch water as the feed solution. All the experiments were performed for 7 days in duplicate, along with a control experiment of chromium without plants. The study was conducted at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology campus, Bangladesh, from May 25 to June 1, 2023. Atomic Absorption Spectrometer was employed to measure Cr(VI) concentration, revealing average chromium removal rates of 29.4%, 81.1%, and 81.5% for Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes, and Lemna minor, respectively, after seven days. Notably, on day three, Lemna minor exhibited the highest average removal efficiency at 84.7%.

Keywords

• Chromium
• Eichhornia crassipes
• Lemna minor
• Phytoremediation
• Pistia stratiotes

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