TREATMENT OF CADMIUM, COPPER, ZINC AND IRON IN WASTEWATER BY THE HORNWORT CERATOPHYLLUM DEMERSUM

The hornwort, Ceratophyllum demersurn L., was investigated as a potential biological filter for metal removal from domestic effluent. The plants were grown on media with a series of sewage dilutions. The waste water concentration of 2:5 was optimum for plant harvest realizing maximum uptake and accumulation of Cd and Cu within 9 days treatment. Their contents were, respectively, 2.9 and 3.9 folds higher than that of the control plants.rZinc was more readily accumulated with an increase of 2.2-75.5 times the initial content in the plant. Iron was greatest in plants grown on 4:5 waste dilution in 7 days treatment. Manganese ion increased slightly by the first waste treatment but was supressed leakage by the successive runs, while K+ and Na+ ions loss was less pronounced at the beginning of treatment followed by considerable increase in K+ content. Growth rates did not exceed 4.0g g"1 fresh weight d"1 at low waste dilutions. Ceratophyllum, may prove useful in the detoxification of domestic effluents, it has a capacity to retain heavy metals within its tissues