Title: Phytoremediation of mercury using Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms

Authors: Upma Narang, Renu Bhardwaj, S.K. Garg, A.K. Thukral

Addresses: Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, India. ' Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, India. ' Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, India. ' Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, India

Abstract: Roots of Eichhornia crassipes were found to accumulate maximum content of mercury (92.21 μg g⁻¹ dry wt) in the roots of plants treated with 1000 μg l⁻¹ concentration of mercuric acetate on 14th day of treatment. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) was found to be highest for lowest mercury concentrations (1 μg l⁻¹) in the medium. The uptake of mercury follows dual pattern of ion uptake. Type-1 mechanism operates at mercury concentrations up to 100 μg l⁻¹, which is carrier-mediated and follows Michaelis–Menten kinetics. Type-2 mechanism occurs at concentrations up to 1000 μg l⁻¹.

Keywords: mercury; phytoremediation; Eichhornia crassipes; BCF; bioconcentration factors; Michaelis-Menten kinetics; waste management; environmental pollution.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2011.040967

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2011 Vol.8 No.1/2, pp.92 - 105

Published online: 24 Jan 2015 *

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