Plant-assisted remediation of wastewater contaminated with methyl orange using Scirpus grossus

Abstract

Aim: This study explores the possibility of treating basic dye, methyl orange using Scirpus grossus in a batch free flow surface system. Methodology: The effect of operational parameters (pH, ORP, ABS, BOD, COD and TOC) for different dye concentrations (0, 200, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 mg 1-1) were observed and determined during 42 days. The results of UV-Vis absorption, HPLC and GC-MS confirmed the degradation of methyl orange. Results: The removal efficiency of methyl orange dye from synthetic wastewater ranged between 15-64% for all treatments at different r concentrations between 1000-200 mg 1-1, respectively. Moreover, the highest removal for BOD and COD in 400 mg 1-1 and TOC in 200 mg 1-1 methyl orange were 55, 52 and 42%, respectively. Four metabolites after the degradation of dye were identified as 4-tert-butylcyclohexanone, 1, 4-dimethylbenzen, N, N-dimethyl hydrazine, 1, 4, 7, 10, 13-pentaoxacyclopentadecane using GC/MS. Interpretation: Scirpus grossus is capable to phytoremediate dyes in wastewater.