PHYTOREMEDIATION POTENTIAL OF CANNA INDICA L. IN WATER CONTAMINATED WITH LEAD

Today there are many technologies for wastewater treatment and rhizofiltration is one of phytoremediation techniques that is very promising for cleanup of large quantities of water with medium or low concentrations of heavy metals. The aim of this study was to investigate phytoremediation potential of ornamental plant C. indica in water contaminated with lead. The present research demonstrated that dry weight of above-ground and below-ground biomass was significantly increased at the highest treatment containing 41 mgPb/L. Lead accumulation in below-ground biomass was up to 90- fold higher than in above-ground biomass. The highest Pb concentration was recorded in root (2480.07 mg/kg) on the 21st sampling day in treatment with the most Pb added. The highest bioconcentration factor (81.16) was recorded in the nutrient solution with the least Pb added. Translocation factor was not significantly affected by lead concentration in nutrient solution or exposure time and it was low (0.01). Symptoms of lead phytotoxicity were not observed on any plant in treatments and control. The results of this research further support the idea that terrestrial plants are more suitable for rhizofiltration than aquatic plants and that C. indica can be used in rhizofiltration systems or floating islands for treatment of water polluted with lead.