A study on the application of phytoremediation ecological technology of heavy metals in water using E. fluctuans: A medicinal plant adapting to climate change

Abstract

Phytoremediation can be used as a different approach to absorb heavy metals because of environmentally friendly and potential cost-effective. E. fluctuans is one species of herbaceous, semi-aquatic, widely distributed in Vietnam, South and Southeast Asia, and tropical Africa. Its leaves, used as edible vegetables, are also used in traditional medicine to treat a number of ailments. This paper aims to test the effectiveness of E. fluctuans in removing heavy metals  from the aquatic environment. The experiments were performed using healthy, young, and acclimatized E. fluctuans. Water containing 0.5 mg/L cadmium, 0.5 mg/L arsenic, 2 mg/L lead, 5 mg/L zinc, and 5 mg/L copper concentrations were experimented with 100 g of E. fluctuans in 30-liter foam containers. The experiments were repeated three times. Throughout the course of the trial, water samples were tracked and their heavy metal concentrations were examined every 10, 20, and 30 days. Through the use of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, the heavy metals were identified. After 30 days, E. fluctuans could remove Cd at 83.4%, As at 60.8%, Pb at 60.4%, Zn at 40.5%, and Cu at 58.7%. Thus, the E. fluctuans show a high potential for effectively extracting heavy metals from industrial effluent.