article · International Journal of Phytoremediation
A study evaluated the floating aquatic plant Ludwigia stolonifera for its ability to absorb trace metals from contaminated water bodies across different seasons. Field investigations examined forty quadrats across eight sites, comparing six polluted locations with two unpolluted locations. Although exposure to pollution significantly decreased the plant's leaf area, fresh and dry biomass, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid levels, the species demonstrated a strong capacity to capture pollutants. Trace metals accumulated predominantly in the below-ground root structures rather than the above-ground shoots. Root uptake showed distinct seasonal variations, with peak concentrations observed for aluminium and copper in spring, iron, manganese, and nickel in summer, cadmium and zinc in autumn, and chromium and lead in winter. The plant achieved bioaccumulation factors above one and translocation factors below one for multiple metals, confirming its suitability for phytostabilisation.
Contamination of water systems by trace metals poses serious threats to ecosystem health and community water security. Identifying floating aquatic plants capable of locking toxic metals into their root structures without dispersing them into shoots offers a natural, sustainable method to mitigate pollution. This helps guide ecological management strategies for polluted wetlands and natural drainage channels.
The findings point towards potential use in constructed wetlands and biological wastewater treatment systems by municipal bodies or environmental remediation operators. However, this study represents early-stage field research demonstrating biological uptake, meaning further development and engineering would be required to establish managed operational protocols or commercially deployable remediation programmes.
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The present study evaluated the phytoremediation potential of the floating macrophyte <i>Ludwigia stolonifera</i> for removing trace metals from contaminated water bodies. Forty quadrats, distributed equally in eight sites (six polluted two unpolluted sites) were selected seasonally for water, sediment and plant investigations. The leaf area, fresh and dry biomass, chlorophyll b and carotenoids contents of <i>L. stolonifera</i> were significantly reduced in polluted sites. <i>L. stolonifera</i> plants accumulated concentrations of the investigated trace metals in their roots higher than the shoots. The roots contributed to the highest concentrations of Al and Cu during spring; Fe, Mn and Ni during summer; Cd and Zn during autumn; and Cr and Pb during winter. Compared to the unpolluted sites, the below- and above-ground parts from the polluted sites accumulated higher concentrations of most investigated trace metals, except Fe. The below-ground parts of <i>L. stolonifera</i> had high seasonal potential for seasonal accumulation of Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn and Pb with a bioaccumulation factor that exceeded 1, the translocation factor of the investigated metals was <1. Therefore, the study species is suitable for metals phytostabilization and thus can be considered a potential phytoremediator of these metals.
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DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2019.1663487
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