Removal of heavy metals from different effluent sourcer by using water hyacinth

Phytoremediation using plant has been suggested as an alternative method to current heavy metal treatment for industrial purpose as a more cost efficient method of heavy metal removal. In present study, water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) was used to absorb heavy metal from different sources of wastewater. The water hyacinth was treated with three different source of waste water which was urban runoff, landfill effluent and also effluent from Batik industry. The studies focused on 4 different types of heavy metal, cadmium, lead, manganese and aluminum which is common present in wastewater. The plant relative growth rate, bioconcentration, translocation ability of water hyacinth and pH trend of wastewater were evaluated. The proportion of cadmium, lead, and manganese and aluminum uptake by water hyacinth was analysed by DR 2800 Spectrophotometer using acid digestion method. On the other hand, the heavy metals present in three sources of the wastewater were also analysed using the same equipment. The plant relative growth rate of the water hyacinth plant showed a significant (P=0.05) decrease at the end of the experiment indicating the toxic effect of the water samples. Water hyacinth has able to reduce the heavy metals in the wastewater with the overall reduction rate of more than 70%, however, for the two effluent sources but this was not shown with the effluent from the batik industry as the plant did not survive during the first week of the treatment. Overall, the studies gave a rough idea on the plant ability to absorb heavy metal from different effluent sources.