Pollution Research Paper

EFFECT OF SPIRODELA POLYRHIZA ON PHYSIO-CHEMICAL CHANGES IN INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER

TAMSEL AHAMMED, SHAHRIAR ISLAM, SABRINA ZAMAN, MD. RUHUL AMIN, MD. MOSTAFA KAMAL AND MD. OMAR FARUQUE

Abstract

The biodiversity has experienced a significant increase in heavy metal contamination, which has a direct impact on aquatic environments. Industrial wastewater, municipal waste, burning fossil fuels, mining, and pesticides are the main sources of pollution. Due to its ability to produce a significant amount of biomass and its high level of stress tolerance, Spirodela polyrhiza (S. polyrhiza) is known as a phytoremediation aquatic plant. Because of their rapid development, simplicity in harvesting, and potential to remove heavy metals from wastewater S. polyrhiza could be an important tool for the treatment of industrial wastewater. This research analyzes how incorporating S. polyrhiza into industrial effluent can improve its physiochemical characteristics, like pH, Chemical oxygen demand (COD), Chlorides, total hardness, sulphates, total dissolved solids (TDS), Cu, Ni, Fe, Zn, Pb, and Ca. In this experiment industrial wastewater was treated using S. polyrhiza for 45 days on the basis of the depth of water (6", 12", and 18"). From the experimental study after D45 color changed brownish to light brownish. After D45 Chlorides level (mg/l) decreased 295.50±17.73 to 251.20±16.007. The initial COD value (mg/l) of the wastewater was 252.330±6.78 and after 45 days of treatment, the value reduced to 93.87±1. The total hardness (mg/ l) of the wastewater was reduced from 1862.8±43.9 to 1223.9±50.93 after treatment. On the other hand TDS value (mg/l) increased from 583.6±3.9 to 815.3±15.7 after the treatment. After 45 days of treatment with S. polyrhiza the copper level (mg/l) was reduced from 0.170±0.020 to 0.098±0.032. Similarly, the levels (mg/l) of Pb, Fe, Zn, and Ni were reduced from 0.222±0.029 to 0.061±0.035, 10.306±1.429 to 0.596±0.110, 0.168±0.055 to 0.084±0.023 and 0.150±0.029 to 0.078±0.018 respectively. The findings indicate that S. polyrhiza might with stand heavy metals and could be a feasible option for the phytoremediation of physiochemical contaminants and heavy metals derived from industrial wastewater.