Phytotoxicity Study of Native Plants in ex-mining lake water treatment

Abstract

Abstract The use of phytoremediation in removing and degrade the contaminants gives great interest for researchers to explore further. This green technology is relatively eco-friendly and cost-effective. Before a full-scale system can be installed to ensure that the remedy is effective by selected plants using phytoremediation process, identification of these plants and its ability to resist toxicity of contaminants is crucial. In this study, the ability of native plants in Malaysia namely L. articulata, E. ochrostacys and E. dulcis to survive when exposed to acid mine drainage water (AMD) are investigated. This was done with free flow systems or free surface (FSF) for 30 days with water from ex mining lake, Tasik Puteri, Bukit Besi, Malaysia. The physical growth of those three plants such as height and withered leaves is monitored every seven day as indication of their survivability. Ferum (Fe) analysis is also carried out on the lower and upper part of the above three plants using Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). Results of the Fe analysis showed that E.ochrostacys has the highest accumulation ability compared to E.dulcis and L. articulata with a maximum accumulation of 123,584 mg Fe/kg at lower part and 55,151 mg Fe/kg at the upper part. Furthermore, E. ochrostacys was also able to tolerate and survive in the water of Tasik Puteri up to 80% survival rate during phytotoxicity study.