Lead (pb) phytoremediation potential assessment of brachiaria mutica l. (para grass) and cyperus rotundus l. (nut grass) from aqueous solution

The phytoremediation efficiency of two native species viz. Brachiaria mutica L. (Para grass) and Cyperus rotundus L. (Nut grass) were assessed for lead elimination from aqueous solution in the current study. Both the species were collected from the wild and acclimatized in the 1/10 Hoagland culture solution. The soil-plants system experiments were conducted at 10, 20 and 30 mg/L lead (Pb) concentration in plastic pots. The experiments were carried out for 30 days. The water samples from the pots were collected at the interval of 5 days. The biomass of plant species was harvested after completion of the experiment (30 days) and Pb content evaluated in roots and shoots. The Pb concentration in water samples and plant parts was determined by using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The Brachiaria mutica showed the 92, 95 and 95% Pb removal, while Cyperus rotundus showed the 95, 96 and 94% removal from the 10, 20 and 30 mg/L Pb solutions. The roots Pb concentrations were varied from 2155 to 3942 and 974 to 1408 mg/kg in Brachiaria mutica and Cyperus rotundus, respectively at various concentrations (10, 20 and 30 mg/L). The 60 % biomass reduction in comparison to control was observed in Brachiaria mutica in 30 mg/L concentration, which indicates the toxic effects on the biochemical and physiological properties increased with increasing Pb concentration. The present study recommended that both the plants can be efficiently used as low-cost phytoremediation process for removal of Pb metal.