Using Minced Horseradish Roots for the Treatment of Polluted Waters

Abstract

Recently the use of minced horseradish (Armoracia rusticana P. Gaertner, Meyer & Scherb.) roots has been proposed for the decontamination of waters polluted with chlorinated phenols. In this study the horseradish treatment is further evaluated using water containing phenols and anilines. 2,4-Dichlorophenol sorption by the plant tissues in the absence of H2O2 ranged between 40% at pH 2 and 10% at pH 10. The adsorbed compound could easily be extracted with water and methanol. In the presence of H2O2, most 2,4-dichlorophenol was polymerized and could be removed from the aqueous solution through precipitation or binding to horseradish. The activity of 1 g of minced horseradish roots was equivalent to 22 purpurogallin units of the purified horseradish peroxidase. Maximal precipitation of 2,4-dichlorophenol was observed at pH values ranging from 5 to 7 and at initial substrate concentrations between 7 and 8 mM. Horseradish application resulted in 99% removal of 27 compounds among 50 compounds tested. These results indicate that the use of horseradish is a feasible treatment for waters contaminated with phenols and anilines.