Student Name: ARYA ALEX K
Guide Name: Dr.Suja R, Associate Professor & Co-ordinator, TPLC
Project Area: WATER QUALITY
Year: 2020 , Duration: 1
The mobilization of heavy metals by various anthropogenic activities has led to the release of these elements into the environment. Being non-biodegradable, they accumulate in the environment and subsequently contaminate the food chain posing risk to environmental and human health. Thus, remediation of heavy metal pollution deserves due attention. Different physical and chemical methods used for this purpose suffer from serious limitations.
Phytoremediation is a novel approach which is considered as a green alternative solution to the problem of heavy metal pollution. Phytoremediation refers to the use of plants and associated soil microbes to reduce the concentrations or toxic effects of contaminants. It can be used for removal of heavy metals and radionuclides as well as for organic pollutants. It is a novel, cost-effective, efficient, environment- and eco-friendly, in situ applicable and solar-driven remediation strategy.
This study is conducted in order to assess the heavy metal concentration of Aakulam Lake in Trivandrum, Kerala. An experimental study to determine the phytoremediation potential of Canna Indica and Vetiver grass was carried out. The remediation efficiency of the plants in removing heavy metal from water and sediments of the lake was studied. The variation of pH, turbidity, D.O, B.O.D, NO3, PO4, and heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni and Zn), was monitored regularly every 15 days for 60 days in a planted and floating system for both Canna Indica and Vetiver grass. The lake sediments and water were contaminated with heavy metals and also the water quality was not agreeable with the standards. Vetiver grass was seen be a better phytoremediation agent than Canna Indica in both the planted and floating systems.
Keywords: Phytoremediation, Heavy metals, Aakulam lake, Water quality, soil.
