Phytoremediation and bioremediation of heavy metals from synthetic industrial wastewater by using eichhornia crassipes, pistia stratiotes and limnocharis flava / Farah ‘Ain Diyana Zahari

Faculty of Civil Engineering and Earth Resources

Project Paper (Bachelors of Civil Engineering) -- Universiti Malaysia Pahang – 2016

Bibliography : p. 94-105

This thesis is focused on phytogreen technology which is a wastewater treatment method by using plants. Contaminants in wastewater are dangerous to human health and other living things especially heavy metals containment in industrial wastewater. It is known that industrial wastewater contained various type of heavy metals depending on their type of industries. Wastewater usually been released to drains and rivers which were also connected to rivers and sea. Improperly treated wastewater will also cause water pollutions. Rancangan Malaysia ke-11 (RMK-11) has developed a Green Growth trajectory and phytoremediation technology has been chosen for this study to synchronise with RMK-11. Phytoremediation is an emerging eco-friendly technology that uses various plants to degrade, extract or immobilise contaminants from soils and water. The objectives of this study are to investigate the potential of different selected aquatic plants for heavy metals removal and to analyse the effectiveness for heavy metals removal of different selected aquatic plants in synthetic industrial wastewater. The growth of the plants are also been observed. Three different potential aquatic plants are used in this study; Eichhornia Crassipes (Water Hyacinth), Pistia Stratiotes (Water Lettuce) and Limnocharis Flava (Yellow Velvetleaf). The concentration of heavy metals was obtained from the industrial wastewater taken from Pasir Gudang and being compared with Fifth Schedule (Regulations 2009), Environmental Quality Act 1974. The value of the concentration of heavy metals was used to prepare the synthetic wastewater. The sampling method was carried two times per week and continuous for 11 week period. All procedures for testing were referred to Standard Examination of Water and Wastewater by American Public Health Associates (APHA, 2012). The parameters used to measure the effectiveness of phytoremediation process are pH, temperature, Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn). The percentages of heavy metal removal are being determined; Water Hyacinth, Water Lettuce and Yellow Velvetleaf has 100 % of copper removal, iron removal and lead removal. Water Lettuce also shows high removal of chromium and zinc with 93.13 % and 71.79 % respectively. The observations of the plants growth and endurance towards wastewater are positive. As conclusion, it has been proved in this study that all the selected aquatic plants are potential to remove heavy metals in synthetic industrial wastewater and Water Lettuce is the most effective and potential plant in heavy metals removal.