Abstract:
Wastewater generation has grown to be a serious concern as a result of the current,
extensive industrialization. The removal of pollutants from wastewater by chemical
methods is very costly. Phytoremediation is a cost-effective, environmentally friendly
technology that utilizes plants to immobilize, uptake, reduce or degrade the pollutants
that are released into the environment. In this study, Salvinia molesta and Pistia
stratiotes were utilized in the treatment of wastewater from an apparel industry for
18 days and reduction efficiencies of selected parameters in wastewater were evaluated.
The pH of wastewater in the control and treatment tanks varied between 6.86±0.03
and 8.21±0.02. Electric Conductivity (EC) was reduced from 118.5±0.28 µS/cm to
98.55±0.46 µS/cm by P. stratiotes while there was a gradual increase of EC from
119.8±0.75 µS/cm to 136.6±0.21 µS/cm by S. molesta. Furthermore, P. stratiotes
indicated higher percentage reductions of turbidity, TS, TDS and TSS (69.74%, 30.85%,
18.13% and 73.90%), compared to those of S. molesta. A higher reduction of percent
nitrate was recorded in tanks with P. stratiotes (62.07%) in comparison to S. molesta
and the control tanks. Also, a higher phosphate removal was recorded by P. stratiotes
(87.00%) in comparison to S. molesta (49.47%). The reduction of Zn in treatment tanks
with S. molesta and P. stratiotes were 22.89% and 17.87%, respectively. A higher Cu
reduction was recorded in the tanks with S. molesta (52.47%) whereas, P. stratiotes
indicated 42.37% Cu reduction efficiency. P. stratiotes indicated a higher Cd reduction
percentage (29.97%) whereas S. molesta indicated 18.13% reduction. Bioconcentration
factors (BCF) of Zn, Cd, Cu for S. molesta were 1.19, 0.74, 2.14, respectively and it
was 0.78, 1.04, 1.38, respectively for P. stratiotes. The evidence presented by this study
emphasized that Salvinia molesta and Pistia stratiotes are potential plants to treat
wastewater from apparel industries.
