Bioremediation Potential of Some Macrophytes in Dal Lake Kashmir

Abstract

newlineUnpolluted water resources are essential for ecosystems to batten and survive. newlineNumerous anthropogenic changes caused nutrient enrichment and metal pollution of newlinewater resources and caused great damage to the living beings including humans. newlineBioremediation utilizes living organisms to remove or detoxify contaminants from a newlinebefoul site. Among all of the bioremediation technologies, a plant-based remediation newlinetechnology known as phytoremediation has been favored because of its ecofriendly newlinenature, simple maintenance and cost-effectiveness. The fundamental components in newlinephytoremediation are plants including both terrestrial and aquatic, playing a principal newlinerole for remediation of affected environments however; aquatic plants are of peculiar newlineinterest, because they are capable of bio-accumulating toxic metals and nutrients in newlinesubstantial quantities than terrestrial plants. Phytoremediation also provides a solution newlineto different emerging problems. Dal lake- an ecologically important water body of newlineKashmir valley is characterized by huge macrophytic diversity which has the newlineadequacy of being used effectively in phytoremediation technique. Here, in an effort newlineto evaluate the bioremediation potential of macrophytes, four plant species were newlineselected including Spirodela polyrhiza, Hydrilla verticillata, Potamogeton nodosus newlineand Potamogeton lucens and cultured hydroponically in different concentrations of newlineheavy metals, phosphorus and nitrogen individually and the experiment continued for newline28 days. At the end of the 28 days experimental period, hydroponically cultured newlinemacrophytes were harvested from each enclosure and then analyzed for heavy metal newlineaccumulations, phosphorus and nitrogen uptake and also for biochemical parameters. newlineThe biochemical components (total chlorophyll, total carbohydrates and total lipids) newlineexhibited a decreasing trend when treated with different concentrations of metals in newlinecomparison to control except Potamogeton nodosus treated with zinc however, total newlineprotein content depicts an increase at low......