Potential Phytoremediation of Aquatic Macrophyte Species for Heavy Metals in Urban Environments in the Southern Area of Brazil

Abstract

This research investigated four different species of aquatic macrophytes with natural occurrence in an urban environment highly anthropized in Southern Brazil. The aim of the research was to compare the phytoremediation potential among the species E. anagallis, H. grumosa, H. ranunculoides, and S. montevidensis through Pearson´s correlation analysis and cluster analysis, using the heavy metal content identified through HNO3 - HClO4 and phytoremediation indexes. The results highlighted the bioconcentration factor (BCF) of H. ranunculoides, with outstanding results for Cu BCF = 667.09, Zn BCF = 149.93, Cd BCF = 26.85, Cr BCF = 31.77, Ni BCF = 35.47, and Pb BCF= 126.29. Additionally, H. grumosa and S. montevidensis were also highlighted, considering the potential phytoremoval (g ha−1). Therefore, this study demonstrates the tolerance and potential for removal of heavy metals Cu, Cr, Cd, Pb, Ni, and Zn by the evaluated aquatic macrophyte species and elucidates the outstanding potential of application in phytoremediation purposes.