Rhizofiltration of Caesium and Strontium Through the Use of Aquatic Plants Eichhornea crassipes (Mart.) Solms and Monochoria hastata (L.) Solms-Laub

Abstract

Radionuclide contamination imposes a serious and persisting perilousness to human health with the exposure through food chain and different routes. For the remediation of aquatic environment contamination two aquatic plants namely Eichorrnea crassipes (invasive species) and Monochoria hastata (native species) were investigated for their absorption, agglomeration and allocation of stable Caesium (Cs) and Strontium (Sr). The plants physiological and biochemical responses were also comprehended through hydroponics-based experiment in green house facility. With treatments such as Sr [0-3 mM (SrCl2 6H2O)] and Cs [0-5 mM (CsCl)] dosing in controlled humidity, temperature and light exposure the plants remediation efficacy was determined. From the results of E. crassipes it was observed that highest transferability of Cs was found at 0.5 mM (petiole-57.2, root-17.22, leaf-11.49) treatment and in Sr it was observed at 1.5 mM (petiole-3.13, root-2.23, leaf-7.02) treatment. The optimum Cs transfer factor was detected at the lowest concentration of M. hastata among the treatments i.e., 0.5 mM (leaf-98.13, petiole-81.29, root -42.54) and as for Sr it was 0.3 mM (petiole-6.9, root-53.17, leaf-12.8). The plant E. crassipes is particularly beneficial for the effective filtration of Sr and Cs from aquatic environments polluted with radioactive materials. In the plant species, heterogeneous metal build-up was identified. It became apparent that the quotient of metal concentration varied among various sections, including the petiole, roots, and leaf.