Phytoremediation systems for the recovery of nutrients from eutrophic waters

Abstract

Eutrophication and availability of freshwater for human consumption is one of the main issues in front of the environmentalists. Eutrophication, acidification, and contamination by toxic substances are posing a threat to the freshwater resources and ecosystems. The consequence of anthropogenic-induced eutrophication of freshwater has resulted in severe deterioration of surface water. Effective control measures need to be taken in order to control eutrophication and restore eutrophic water bodies. In this row, phytoremediation is emerging as a simple low-cost clean up technology for wastewater. Phytoremediation is defined as the engineered use of green plants to remove, or render harmless, various environmental contaminates such as inorganic and organic compounds. Development of aquatic plant systems for nutrient recovery from eutrophic water is essentially required to control eutrophication. The performance of phytoremediation system depends upon many factors such as growth performances of the plants selected for phytoremediation, their nutrients removal potential, efficiency to grow in experimental environment. In order to develop high-efficient nutrients phytoremediation systems aquatic plant species in combinations (mono, bi, tri species culture) can be used. Sufficient work has been done and huge amount of capital is invested so far for the restoration of some major water bodies that are falling under direct threat of eutrophication but the results are unsatisfactorily.