Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

PHYTOREMEDIATION OF HEAVY METALS FROM TEXTILE EFFLUENTS

Meera D. Chavan

Abstract

Dyeing process of textile industry releases toxic chemicals.Dyes also show harmful effect on ground water quality and soil microorganisms. Arsenic, mercury, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel tin and zinc are common toxic heavy metals in dyes. The process of recovery of toxic substances by plant material from industrial waste water is called phytoremediation. In the present study Aloe vera and Maize stalks were used for the removal of heavy metal pollutants from textile effluents. These plant materials showed potential to remove heavy metals by bioaccumulation bioadsorption and bioabsorption.Biological processes have proven to be more economically feasible than the physical and chemical ones for waste management and their utilization.