Effects of Crude and Bioremediated Thermal Power Plant Effluents in Brassica Juncea

Abstract

Crude phenol and cyanides are the major components of the effluents discharged by industries involved in the manufacture of many synthetic inorganic and organic compounds, pharmaceuticals, electroplating units, and thermal power plants. In this study, an effort was made to use effluents as manure. The effect of various amendments (10, 40, 70, and 100%) of bioremediated and crude effluents was checked on plants of Brassica juncea. Roots, shoot lengths, and the mean dry weights were maximum in the plants irrigated with 10% treated and 10% crude effluent as compared to the control plants. Total plant phenolics increased with an increase in the amendment of the effluents in the plants irrigated with bioremediated as well as crude effluents. Applications of lower amendments of treated and untreated effluents in Brassica juncea improved the chlorophyll levels in the experimental plants and the values obtained were similar to the control plants. Effect of bioremediated and crude effluents on antioxidant enzymes of Brassica juncea showed a differential effect. The activity of antioxidant enzymes peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was observed to increase with an increase in the effluent concentration. Here we demonstrate that the industrial effluents, when bioremediated of their harmful components, can also serve as a nourishment for plants, which can further help in the rehabilitation of wastelands.