PHYTOREMEDIATION OF SYNTHETIC WASTEWATER CONTAINING COPPER BY USING NATIVE PLANT

Abstract

This study was aimed to assess the efficiency of N.oleander to remove heavy metals such as Copper (Cu) from wastewater. A toxicity test was conducted outdoor for 65-day to estimate the ability of N.oleander to tolerate Cu in synthetic wastewater. Based on a previous range-finding test, five concentrations were used in this test (0, 50, 100, 300, 510 mg/l). The results showed that maximum values of removal efficiency was found 99.9% on day-49 for the treatment 50 mg/l. Minimum removal efficiency was 94% day-65 for the treatment of 510 mg/l. Water concentration was within the permissible limits of river conservation and were 0.164 at day-35 for the 50 mg/l treatment, decreased thereafter until the end of the observation, and 0.12 at day-65 for the treatment 100 mg/l. the concentrations of water samples exceeded the permissible limits for 300 and 510 mg/l throughout the observation. Bioaccumulation factor (BAF) for N.oleaner was found to be greater than one for all the treatments. Higher translocation factor (TF) were 1.65, 1.73, 2.61 and 2.34 mg/l for 50, 100, 300 and 510 mg/l, respectively. This study revealed that N.oleander can tolerate and treat Cu concentration in wastewater.