Potential of Chromolaena odorata for phytoremediation of (137)Cs from solution and low level nuclear waste.
Potential of Chromolaena odorata plants for remediation of (137)Cs from solutions and low level nuclear waste was evaluated. When plants were exposed to solutions spiked with three different levels of (137)Cs, namely 1 x 10(3) kBqL(-1), 5 x 10(3) kBqL(-1) and 10 x 10(3) kBqL(-1), 89%, 81% and 51% of (137)Cs was found to be remediated in 15 d, respectively. At the lowest Cs activity (1 x 10(3) kBqL(-1)), accumulation of Cs was found to be higher in roots compared to shoots, while at higher Cs activities (5 x 10(3) kBqL(-1) and 10 x 10(3) kBqL(-1)), Cs accumulation was more in shoots than roots. When plants were incubated in low level nuclear waste, 79% of the activity was removed by plants at the end of 15 d. The present study suggests that C. odorata could be used as a potential candidate plant for phytoremediation of (137)Cs.
Singh
Shraddha
S
Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India.
Thorat
Vidya
V
Kaushik
C P
CP
Raj
Kanwar
K
Eapen
Susan
S
D'Souza
S F
SF
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000378:metabolism*; D036604:Chromolaena / Q000378:metabolism*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D012996:Solutions
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D012996:Solutions