Title : IMMOBILIZATION OF METAL RICH PHYTOREMEDIATED PLANT INSIDE CONCRETE
Authors : Devaleena Chaudhuri, Kaushik Bandyopadhyay, Arunava Majumder, Amal.K.Misra, Dipesh Majumdar
Publication : 8 - 10, October 2015
Volume : 1
Pages :
Price : 250
Abstract : Heavy metal pollution is one of the significant outcomes of undesirable environmental degradation and has becomea cause of concern worldwide. Cadmium is a very toxic heavy metal and characterized by the dangerous property of non-biodegradability. Discharge of industrial wastewater and dumping of e-waste has emerged as prominent source of cadmium contamination to soil, ground water and surface water as well. Different conventional metal removal techniques are already in practice for cadmium removal from contaminated aqueous solution. Phytoremediation, a newly evolved, cost effective, energy efficient plant based removal technology has attained special attention in this regard. In the present study two locally available aquatic weeds, Eichornia Crassipes and Pistia stratiotes, have been used to remove cadmium from contaminated water. Cd working solution was prepared by dissolving Cd chloride salt in pond water and its initial concentration was varied within the range of 0.5 to 3 mg/L. Cd removal from solution was dependent upon residual cadmium concentration. Rate of removal gradually decreased with progress of treatment period in all cases. Cadmium removal process depends upon bioaccumulation capacity of macophytes, expressed as Bio Concentration Factor (BCF). BCF data revealed that Pistia stratiotes is more suitable species for cadmium phytoremediation than Eichornia crassipes. After phytoremediation safe disposal of exhausted cadmium plants is an important step for successful implementation of this process. In the present study harvested plant biomass was dried completely to reduce its volume and then solidified by mixing with concrete at the ratio of 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6% of cement dry weight. This process was intended to restrict mobility of cadmium inside some inert material, so that it would not further contaminate environment. Workability of fresh concrete varied within the range of 75-110 mm. Crushing strength of concrete did not change significantly compared to control (concrete without addition of plant biomass). Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) finally confirmed that the suggested process can be considered as eco-safe disposal technique of metal rich phtytoremediated plant.