Accumulation of metals in selected macrophytes grown in mixture of drain water and tannery effluent and their phytoremediation potential

Phytoremediation is an emerging, ecofriendly and economically feasible technique for the restoration of heavy metals contaminated environment. In the present investigation, five native macrophytes growing naturally in a drain receiving tannery effluent viz Bacopa monnieri, Eichhornia crassipes, Hydrilla verticillata, Ipomoea aquatica and Marsilea minuta were evaluated for their heavy metal (Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb) accumulation potential in field conditions at Unnao, UP., India. The results showed that metal accumulation by these macrophytes differed among species and tissue parts. The concentration of Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb in the root tissues were estimated in the range 3.38-45.59, 1.01-16.85, 1.81-4.43 and 1.02-4.24 mu g g(-1) d.wt., whereas the corresponding shoot values were 8.79-48.81, 1.01-8.67, 0.84-2.89 and 1.02-2.84 for Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb respectively. Among the studied plants the translocation factor (TF) ranged between 1.07-2.60,0.75-3.83, 1.44-2.57 and 0.49-3.76 for Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb, respectively. The highest metal TF was found in M. minuta (2.60, 3.83 and 2.57) for Cr, Cu and Ni respectively, whereas Pb was best translocated (3.76) by B. monnieri. Roots and shoots of the studied macrophytes showed a value of greater than 1 for metal enrichment coefficient. Findings suggest that E. crassipes can be used for phytoremediation of Cu and Ni whereas M. minuta and H. verticillata can be applied for the removal of Cr and Pb respectively from the contaminated water bodies.