Abstract
The study conducted to evaluate the ability of some aquatic plants in absorption and accumulate some heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, and Pb) in their tissues from contaminated water in two sites of Shatt Al-Arab River, Province of Basrah/Iraq. Water samples were collected from two sites one of them north of Basrah (Gurna) and the other from Sindbad island middle site of Shatt Al-Arab river. The chemical analysis had been performed to find out water quality. A laboratory experiment had been conducted by using three types of aquatic plants which were; Common Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum L., Common Reed (Phragmites australis L, and Nut Grass (Cyperus rotundus L.). Two types of water qualities (Gurna and Sindbad island) from Shatt Al-Arab river in addition to distilled water as a control treatment. Plants were planted in glass containers filling with water samples to know the ability of plants to absorb heavy metals. Results showed that water quality, according to American salinity laboratory classification was C4S1 for both sites. Concentration of cadmium, copper, iron, and lead in Shatt Al-Arab river in both sites was (0.021, 0.034), (15.40, 23.50), (248.1, 181.0), and (15.5, 54.0) ugL-1 respectively. The preliminary analysis of heavy metals concentration in aquatic plants of Cd, Cu, Fe and Pb were 0.18, 14.5, 650.5, and 26.2 mg kg-1 of dry weight respectively. While the results were 0.45, 36.2, 1173.0, and 50.5 mg kg-1 dry weight respectively in the Ceratophyllum, Finally, in the common reed, the concentration was 0.2, 30.5, 1095.2, and 45.2 mgKg-1 dry weight for each heavy metals respectively. The removal efficiency of aquatic plants was varied with plant species and they took the following order common hornwort >common reed>nut grass.
Highlights
Heavy metals are hazardous environmental pollutants, their dangerous in cumulative in living organisms and cause damage to a human when he eats contaminated food [1]
It is clear from the results that the concentration of heavy metals increased with the south of Shatt Al-Arab river accept iron element because the iron element is necessary for all living organisms
The studied aquatic plants took the following order in absorption and accumulation of heavy metals in their tissues: common hornwort> common reed > nut grass. These results with the results of Hanaf [11]. These results indicate the importance of using Ceratophyllum demersum and Phragmites australis as biological indexes for heavy metals pollution in water; these results agreed with the results of [11]
Summary
Heavy metals are hazardous environmental pollutants, their dangerous in cumulative in living organisms and cause damage to a human when he eats contaminated food [1]. Mg.gm-1 of copper and zinc, common hornwort plant is less tolerant than phragmites and papyrus [9]. Aziz et al [10] mentioned that phragmites and papyrus plants are good biological indexes and environmental treatments for Shatt Al-Arab River and they have the ability to accumulate copper, lead, and zinc in their tissues. Duo to deterioration of water quality in Shatt Al-Arab River because of water scarcity and pollution, the study was conducted to evaluate the ability of aquatic plants to accumulate and removal of heavy metals from the water of Shatt Al-Arab River one of them north of Basrah Province (Gurna) and other Sindbad island central of Basrah Province
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