Assessment of the efficacy of Azolla pinnata in improving textile dye wastewater quality at varying concentrations

Abstract

This in-vitro study scrutinized the efficacy of Azolla pinnata in ameliorating the quality of wastewater emanating from textile dyeing. The investigation centered on three discrete textile dye wastewater concentrations (30%, 60%, and 100%) within a mesocosm environment over five days. Physicochemical parameters, including temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity, and salinity, were systematically assessed both prior to and subsequent to the introduction of Azolla pinnata. Significantly, throughout the five-day duration of the experiment, periodic observations were conducted at 24-h intervals, and no pH adjustments were executed. The results demonstrated that Azolla pinnata exhibited optimal efficacy in the treatment involving a 30% concentration of wastewater (designated as T1). The improvements in water quality indicators for this specific treatment (T1) were quantified as follows: 36.84% for pH, 66.67% for BOD5, 55.05% for COD, 53.40% for EC, 46.85% for TDS, 58.60% for TSS, 52.21% for salinity and 76.86% for turbidity. The authors suggest that the utilization of Azolla pinnata in a selective treatment approach demonstrates considerable promise and viability for the phytoremediation of wastewater contaminated with textile dyes.