PHYTOREMEDIATION OF NUTRIENTS FROM THE COIR RETTING WASTEWATER BY WATER HYACINTH, EICHHORNIA CRASSIPESREENA MOL S. AND A.G.MURUGESANAbstract Macrophytes are widely used to remove pollutants from the wastewater. These Macrophytes showed special mechanisms to remove pollutants and translocate elements into plant tissue. The main aim of the study is to improve coir retting wastewater quality discharged from the retting pond using a macrophyte, Eichhornia crassipes. Phytoremediation treatment of coir retting wastewater using showed decreased TSS level. The mean initial TSS level was 19760 ± 400 mg/l before treatment and the removal of TSS was 58.4% after 10 days and 95.4% after 20 days (p<0.001). The percentage removal of nitrite was 41% after 6 days and increased significantly after 20 days of treatment (98%) (p<0.001). The mean initial sulphate level was 82.4 ± 8.3 mg/l and decreased more than 90% after 20 days of treatment. The chemical oxygen demand of the raw effluent was 10184 ± 263.2 mg/L and it decreased as 2092 ± 138.4 mg/l after 10 days and the percentage of chemical oxygen demand decreased after 20 days of treatment (p<0.001) (96.1%). The mean initial biological oxygen demand was 5028.2 ± 409.4 mg/l before treatment and 89.9% reduction was achieved after 10 days. Biological oxygen demand removal increased after 20 days of treatment (95.15%) (p<0.001). |