Remediation of nitrite contamination in ground and surface waters using aquatic macrophytes.
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Date
2012-01
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Abstract
The study was carried out to determine the seasonal variation of nitrite levels in drinking and surface waters
of urban, peri-urban and rural areas of Lucknow, during 2007-2008, and to evaluate the nitrite removal and
accumulation potential of certain native aquatic macrophytes. Most of the drinking and surface water samples
were collected from urbanized region of the city. All drinking water samples detected, showed higher nitrite
level in winter, when compared with that in summer and rainy seasons. However, in drinking water samples
nitrite level was below the permissible limit i.e. 3.29 mg l-1 NO2. The surface water showed more than 3 fold
higher levels of nitrite over the permissible level i.e. 0.06 mg l-1, and the level was higher during rainy season
than in summer and winter seasons. Eight macrophytes viz. Peltandra virginica, Utricularia vulgaris, Eichhornia
crassipes, Trapa natans, Mimulus glabratus, Marsilea quadrifolia, Pistia stratiotes and Polygonum persicaria
were studied for phytoremediation potential of nitrite from the water under simulated laboratory conditions. The
gradual diminution in the level of nitrite in the water and simultaneously it’s increase in the plant tissues was
recorded at 5th, 10th and 15th d after plant culture. All the plants selected, removed nitrite from water but
Polygonum persicaria, Mimulus glabratus, Trapa natans and Pistia stratiotes were found more efficient and
removed nitrite upto 60.91, 58.09, 60.97 and 72.28%, respectively. Observations revealed that Pistia
stratiotes can be used for the effective removal of nitrite from the contaminated water.
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Keywords
Drinking water, Nitrite level, Pistia stratiotes, Surface water, Aquatic macrophytes
Citation
Rawat S K, Singh R K, Singh Rana P. Remediation of nitrite contamination in ground and surface waters using aquatic macrophytes. Journal of Environmental Biology. 2012 Jan; 33(1): 51-56.