Phytoremediation of Heavy Metals(Cd, Cu, Fe, and Pb) by Using Aquatic Plants in Shatt Al-Arab River

Abstract

The study conducted to evaluate the ability of some aquatic plants in absorption and accumulate some heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, and Pb) in their tissues from contaminated water in two sites of Shatt Al-Arab River, Province of Basrah/Iraq. Water samples were collected from two sites one of them north of Basrah (Gurna) and the other from Sindbad island middle site of Shatt Al-Arab river. The chemical analysis had been performed to find out water quality. A laboratory experiment had been conducted by using three types of aquatic plants which were; Common Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum L., Common Reed (Phragmites australis L, and Nut Grass (Cyperus rotundus L.). Two types of water qualities (Gurna and Sindbad island) from Shatt Al-Arab river in addition to distilled water as a control treatment. Plants were planted in glass containers filling with water samples to know the ability of plants to absorb heavy metals. Results showed that water quality, according to American salinity laboratory classification was C4S1 for both sites. Concentration of cadmium, copper, iron, and lead in Shatt Al-Arab river in both sites was (0.021, 0.034), (15.40, 23.50), (248.1, 181.0), and (15.5, 54.0) ugL-1 respectively. The preliminary analysis of heavy metals concentration in aquatic plants of Cd, Cu, Fe and Pb were 0.18, 14.5, 650.5, and 26.2 mg kg-1 of dry weight respectively. While the results were 0.45, 36.2, 1173.0, and 50.5 mg kg-1 dry weight respectively in the Ceratophyllum, Finally, in the common reed, the concentration was 0.2, 30.5, 1095.2, and 45.2 mgKg-1 dry weight for each heavy metals respectively. The removal efficiency of aquatic plants was varied with plant species and they took the following order common hornwort >common reed>nut grass.

Keywords

• water pollution
• aquatic plants
• removal efficiency