Biosorption of Pb and Zn from pulp and paper industry effluent by water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

Abstract

Lead and zinc uptake by water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) was studied in the laboratory conditions to investigate a low cost natural aquatic treatment system for pollutant removal from pulp and paper industry effluent. Bioaccumulation of Pb and Zn by water hyacinth was found concentration and duration dependent. The plant possessed ability to neutralize the effluent. It could effectively absorb Pb (0.28-1.39 mg/l, 17.6-80.3%) and Zn (0.26-1.30 mg/l, 16.6-73.4 %) after 20 days of treatment. Metal removal efficiency was found to be maximum (80.3% for Pb; 73.4 % for Zn) at 20 % effluent concentration, thus highlighting that phytoremediation could be used along with and/or in some cases as a substitute of expensive cleanup technologies in industrial sector.