Removal of Arsenic from contaminated wastewater using Eichhornia crassipes

Abstract

Arsenic is a hazardous element which causes several serious ill effects on the living being. Therefore the present study aims to investigate the arsenic uptake rate of Eichhornia crassipes from the water samples amended with arsenic concentration 1mg/l, 5mg/l, 10mg/l, 20mg/l, 30mg/l respectively for the experimental period of 10 days. Arsenic concentration was measured in samples using ICP-MS instrument. The stress of arsenic on plant was determined by the analysis of decrement or increment of plant biomass. The result indicates that the Eichhornia crassipes had capacity to remove arsenic from the aqueous medium. The maximum removal efficiency was obtained 53.63% at initial concentration 1 mg/L at the end of the 8^th day of experiment period. The Removal percentage of arsenic by the plant was found to be decreasing with the increase in the initial concentration in the water sample. Based on the result, it has been concluded that Eichhornia crassipes is a good accumulator of arsenic at an initial concentration of 1 mg/L.