Accumulation of Heavy Metals from Contaminated Wastewater by Aquatic Plant Lemna minor and Their Biochemical Effects on it

Toxic metal contamination of soil, aqueous waste streams and groundwater causes major environmental and human health problems. The most commonly used methods for dealing with heavy metal pollution are still extremely costly. Use of aquatic plants to extract, sequester and/or detoxify pollutants is a new and powerful technique for environmental cleanup. Plants are ideal agents for soil and water remediation because of their unique genetic, biochemical and physiological properties. The aim of this work is to evaluate the potential of free floating duck weed Lemna minor to remove heavy metals from wastewater and their biochemical effect on it. One-month laboratory experiments were conducted to mark the percentage removal of different heavy metals at different concentrations and the effect of heavy metals on nitrate reductase activity, total chlorophyll and protein contents of the plant. Approximately 93% of total heavy metal induced-toxicity appears resulting in the reduced activities of nitrate reductase, total chlorophyll and protein content of the plant. The results recommended the use of Lemna minor to ameliorate the wastewaters contaminated with heavy metals.