Abstract
Ludwigia stolonifera biomass of roots, floating roots and leaves were tested for their performance as heavy metal biofilters. Cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) (50 ppm) solutions were filtered through 0.5–1.5 g packed columns with each biomaterial, to determine their metal removal efficiency. Root column was more efficient in removing Ni (as low as 6 ppb in the effluent) than of Cd (as low as to 22 ppb in the effluent). This tendency was also observed upon treatment of a mixed solution of both metals. Floating roots column reduced Cd content to the same level as the root column, but its metal binding capacity was higher; 93 mg Cd g-1 DW in floating roots in comparison to 43 mg Cd g-1DW in the roots biofilter. Leaf biomass column demonstrated the best metal binding capacity; 128 mg Cd g-1 DW, and Cd concentration in the effluent was 17 ppb. Pectin content was 5, 8 and 10% W/W in roots, leaves and floating roots biofilters, respectively. It seems that ion exchange is the major mechanism by which the metal is biosorbed. Evidence for the exchange of the bound heavy metal ions against the discharge of light metal ions such as calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K) and sodium (Na) was provided.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bailey, S. E., Olin, T. J., Bricka, R. M. and Adrian, D. D.: 1999, ‘A review of potentially low-cost sorbents for heavy metals’, Wat er Res. 33, 2469–2479.
Ben-Arie, R., Sonego, L. and Frenkel, C.: 1979, ‘Changes in pectic substances in ripening pears’, J. Amr. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 104, 500–505.
Brewster, M. D. and Passmore, R. J.: 1994, ‘Use of electrochemical iron generation for removing heavy metals from contaminated groundwater’, Environ. Prog. 13, 143–148.
Dronnet, V. M., Renard, C. M. G. C., Axelos, M. A. V. and Thibault, J.-F.: 1996, ‘Characterization and selectivity of divalent metal ions binding by citrus and suger-beet pectins’, Carbohydr. Polym. 30, 253–263.
Ellmore, G. S.: 1981, ‘Root dimorphism in Ludwigia peploides (Onagraceae): Structure and gas content of mature roots’, Am.J.Bot. 68, 227–268.
Garg, P., Tripathi, R. D., Rai, U. N., Sinha, S. and Chandra, P.: 1997, ‘Cadmium accumulation and toxicity in submerged plant Hydrillaverticillata (L.F.) Royle’, Environ. Monit. Assess. 47, 163–173.
Hoch, R. C., Crisci, J. V., Tobe, H. and Berry, P. E.: 1993, ‘A cladistic analysis of the plant family onagraceae’, Syst. Bot. 18, 31–47.
Kamnev, A. A., Colina, M., Rodriguez, J., Ptitchkina, N. M. and Ignatov, V. V.: 1998, ‘Comparative spectroscopic characterization of different pectins and their sources’, Food Hydrocoll. 12, 263–271
Kähköen, M. A. and Manninen, P. K. G.: 1998, ‘The uptake of nickel and chromium from water by Elodea canadensis at different nickel and chromium exposure levels’, Chemosphere 36, 1381–1390.
Ke, H.-Y. D., Birnbaum, E. R., Darnall, D. W., Rayson, G. D. and Jackson, P. J.: 1992, ‘Characterization of the carboxylate groups on Datura inoxia using Europium (III) luminescence’, Environ. Sci. Technol. 26, 782.
Kratochvil, D. and Volesky, B.: 1998, ‘Advances in the biosorption of heavy metals’, Tibtech. 16, 291–300.
Kurt, G. E. and Volchek, K.: 1996, ‘Removal of hazardous substances from water using ultrafiltration in conjunction with soluble polymers’, Environ. Sci. Technol. 29, 2496–2503.
Lee, H. S. and Volesky, B.: 1997, ‘Interaction of light metals and protons with seaweed biosorbent’, Water Res. 31, 3082–3088
Maine, M. A., Duarte, M. V. and Suñé, N. L.: 2001, ‘Cadmium uptake by floating macrophytes’, Water Res. 35, 2629–2634.
Marcus, Y. and Kertes, A. S.: 1969, Ion Exchange and Solvent Extraction of Metal Complexes, John Wiley &; Sons, London, pp. 321–359.
Rai, U. N., Sinha, S., Tripathi, R. D. and Chandra, P.: 1995, ‘Wastewater treatability potential of some aquatic macrophytes: Removal of heavy metals’, Ecol. Engin. 5, 5–12.
Ramelow, G. J., Fralick, D. and Zhao, Y.: 1992, ‘Factors affecting the uptake of aqueous metal ions by dried seaweed biomass’, Microbios. 72, 81–93.
Rebhun, M. and Galil, N.: 1990, ‘Wastewater Treatment Technologies’, in K. L. Zirm and J. Mayer (eds), The Management of Hazardous Substances in the Environment, Elsevier Applied Science, London, New York, pp. 85–102.
Rejmánková, E.: 1992, ‘Ecology of creeping macrophytes with special reference to Ludwigia peploides (H. B. K) Raven’, Aquat. Bot. 43, 283–299.
Schneider, I. A. H. and Rubio, J.: 1999, ‘Sorption of heavy metal ions by the nonliving biomass of freshwater macrophytes’, Environ. Sci. Technol. 33, 2213–2217.
Spiniti, M., Zhuang, H. and Trujillo, E. M.: 1995, ‘Evaluation of immobilized biomass beads for removing heavy metals from wastewaters’, Water Environ. Res. 67, 943–952.
Thibault, J.-F.: 1979, ‘Automatisation du Dosage des Substances Pectiques par la Methoda au Meta-hydroxydiphenyl’, Lebensm. Wiss. Technol. 12, 247–251.
Thompson, E. S., Pick, F. R. and Bendell-Young, L. I.: 1997, ‘The accumulation of cadmium by the yellow pond lily, Nuphar variegatum, in Ontario Peatlands’, Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 32, 161–165.
Tobin, J. M., Cooper, D. G. and Neufeld, R. J.: 1984, ‘Uptake of metal ions by Rhizopus arrhizus biomass’, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 47, 821–824.
Webster, E. A., Murphy, A. J., Chudek, J. A. and Gadd, G. M.: 1997, ‘Metabolism-independent binding of toxic metals by Ulva lactuca: Cadmium bindsto oxygen-containing groups, as determined by NMR’, Bio Metals 10, 105–117.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Elifantz, H., Tel-Or, E. Heavy Metal Biosorption by Plant Biomass of the Macrophyte Ludwigia Stolonifera . Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 141, 207–218 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021343804220
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021343804220