title: Evaluation of uranium removal by Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle from low level nuclear waste under laboratory conditions.
abstract: The present study evaluated uranium (U) removal ability and tolerance to low level nuclear waste (LLNW) of an aquatic weed Hydrilla verticillata. Plants were screened for growth in 10%-50% waste treatments up to 3 d. Treatments of 20% and 50% waste imposed increasing toxicity with duration assessed in terms of change in fresh weight and in the levels of photosynthetic pigments and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. U concentration, however, did not show a progressive increase and was about 42 μg g(-1) dw from 20% to 50% waste at 3 d. This suggested that a saturation stage was reached with respect to U removal due to increasing toxicity. However, in another experiment with 10% waste and 10% waste+10 ppm U treatments, plants showed an increase in U concentration with the maximum level approaching 426 μg g(-1) dw at 3 d without showing any toxicity as compared to that at 20% and 50% waste treatments. Hence, plants possessed significant potential to take up U and toxicity of LLNW limited their U removal ability. This implies that the use of Hydrilla plants for U removal from LLNW is feasible at low concentrations and would require repeated harvesting at short intervals.
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400085, India. Electronic address: sudhakar.srivastava@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sudhakar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400085, India.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Bhainsa
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D031321:Hydrocharitaceae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011850:Radioactive Waste; D014501:Uranium / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D011850:Radioactive Waste; D014501:Uranium
keywords: Hydrilla verticillata; Low level nuclear waste; Uranium