title: Phytoremediation of Hg and Cd from industrial effluents using an aquatic free floating macrophyte Azolla pinnata.
abstract: The level of heavy metal pollution in Singrauli, an industrial region in India, was assessed and the phytoremediation capacity of a small water fern, Azolla pinnata R.BR (Azollaceae), was observed to purify waters polluted by two heavy metals, i.e., mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd) under a microcosm condition. Azolla pinnata is endemic to India and is an abundant and easy-growing free-floating water fern usually found in the rice fields, polluted ponds, and reservoirs of India. The fern was grown in 24 40-L aquariums containing Hg2+ and Cd2+ ions each in concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 mgL(-1) during the course of this study. The study revealed an inhibition of Azolla pinnata growth by 27.0-33.9% with the highest in the presence of Hg (II) ions at 0.5 mgL(-1) in comparison to the control After 13 days of the experiment, metal contents in the solution were decreased up to 70-94%. In the tissues of Azolla pinnata, the concentration of selected heavy metals during investigation was recorded between 310 and 740 mgKg(-1) dry mass, with the highest levelfoundfor Cd (II) treatment at 3.0 mgL(-1) containing a metal solution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forest Ecology, Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences, Mizoram University. prabhatrai24@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Prabhat Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Rai
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002104:Cadmium / Q000378:metabolism*; D029624:Ferns / Q000378:metabolism*; D007220:Industrial Waste; D008628:Mercury / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; D008628:Mercury