title: Phytoremediation potential of selected plants for nitrate and phosphorus from ground water.
abstract: The phytoremediation potential of three aquatic plants namely, water lettuce (Pistia stratioes), water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), and water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) for nitrate N and phosphorus from nutrient treated ground water was assessed. A total of twelve treatment combinations including four levels of nitrate (expressed as nitrate N 0, 20, 40, and 60 mg/l) and three levels of phosphorus (0, 20, and 40 mg/l) were treated for the total volume of 1 and 20 liters of water respectively, for Pistia stratiotes and Eichhornia crassipes. For Ipomoea aquatica ten treatment combinations with five levels of nitrate N (0, 10, 20, 40, and 50 mg/l) and two levels of phosphorus (0 and 5 mg/l) were treated to 3 liters of water. The design used was a two factor factorial with three replicates. Water was analyzed at weekly interval for nitrate N and phosphorus. Pistia stratiotes, Eichhornia crassipes and Ipomoea aquatica had the potential to remove nitrate N between 61.5-91.8%, 40-63.5%, and 29.3-75% during the period of six, three and three and weeks, respectively. In addition, 90-99%, 75-97.2%, and 75-83.3% of phosphorus was removed from water by Pistia stratiotes, Eichhornia crassipes and Ipomoea aquatica respectively, during the same period.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sundaralingam
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gnanavelrajah
mesh_terms: D029064:Araceae / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D031806:Eichhornia / Q000378:metabolism*; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry; D027741:Ipomoea / Q000378:metabolism*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010758:Phosphorus