Spirodela polyrhiza: An efficient hyperaccumulator of nickel at low concentration

Abstract

Over a few years of time, heavy metal pollution in surface water has increased manifold owing to large scale dependency upon industrialization and modernization. Therefore, an effective removal of heavy metal pollution is important. Phytoremediation is an eco-friendly and cost-effective method of heavy metal removal by different plant species from water. The process has been utilised in the present investigation to remove Ni from contaminated water by duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza. At three different initial concentrations 2.92, 3.9, and 4.9 mg/L of Ni in contaminated water, removal of Ni by Spirodela polyrhiza has been studied together with their morphological changes. Bio concentration factor for Ni removal was obtained to be greater than 1000 at initial Ni concentrations of 2.92 and 3.9 mg/L, respectively. The results therefore suggest that duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza can efficiently remove as well as uptake Ni from contaminated water with minimal signs of toxicity symptoms.