Eco-friendly Alternatives for the Removal of Heavy Metal Using Dry Biomass of Weeds and Study the Mechanism Involved

Abstract

Metal contamination issues are becoming increasing day by day common in India and elsewhere, with many documented cases of metal toxicity in mining industries, foundaries, smelters, coal-burning power plants and agriculture. Heavy metals, such as cadmium, copper, lead; chromium and mercury are major environmental pollutants, particularly in areas with high anthropogenic pressure causing increased depositions of heavy metals in the terrestrial and aquatic environment. The release of these pollutants without proper treatment poses a significant threat to both environment and public health, as they are non-biodegradable and continual. Thus, their treatment becomes inevitable and in this endeavor, absorption seems to be a promising alternative for treating metal contaminated waters. In the present study two plants, one macrophyte Eichhornia crassipes and other terrestrial Canna indica are used as adsorbents to study the process of biosorption. The studied plants have not gained much importance and are found in abundance in the Indian climate. Also the former has been declared as a weed and its management has become a great problem so with the study the plants can be better and further utilized for wastewater treatment for the removal of metal ions and other impurities. For the present study multi species solution of four heavy metals i.e. cadmium, chromium, lead and zinc are tested for the adsorption by the selected bio sorbent. This technology out-performs its predecessors not only due to its cost effectiveness but also in being eco-friendly i.e., where other alternatives fail.