Azolla (Caroliniana): An Aquatic Energy Crop for Remediation of Eutrophic Ecosystems with Prospect of Biofuel Production in Bangladesh

Abstract

The Phytoremediation ability of aquatic macrophyte, Azolla as potential biomass, to improve the quality of eutrophic lakes and river water of Bangladesh at lab scale were studied to remove organics, solutes and improving the physicochemical properties of water including pH, DO, EC, TDS, Turbidity and NaCl concentration. In the different eutrophic water, a 100% survival rate of the species was observed. The extensive root system of the phytoremediator improves water quality after one week as determined by a marked decrease in Turbidity, TDS,  EC & Nacl and increased in DO and pH. DO content served as a useful indicator of water quality and increased manifolds over 7 days (one week) of treatment. The capability of the plant in removing pollutants and improving water quality was established from the study. After phytoremediation activities, the discarded energy crop biomass could be used to produce green energy because of its high growth potential.