Removal of nickel (II) ions by floating aquatic plants

• Main Author: Tai, Jia Wei
• Format: Final Year Project / Dissertation / Thesis
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: TP Chemical technology
• Online Access: http://eprints.utar.edu.my/5352/1/1703555_FYP_report_%2D_JIA_WEI_TAI.pdf; http://eprints.utar.edu.my/5352/
• Institution: Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Heavy metals pollution is a global issue that requires a proper solution as it can bring adverse effect to human health. The conventional technique in removing the heavy metals from the wastewater is costly and not environmentally friendly. Phytoremediation using floating aquatic plants is one of the cost-effective and promising ways to treat heavy metals in wastewater. However, the cultivation condition of various types of floating aquatic plants needs to be studied further since the related information regarding this technique is very limited. The objective of this study is to to develop a novel removal of heavy metal through phytoremediation technique using floating aquatic plants by investigating the cultivation conditions, process parameter and the kinetic of the phytoremediation. In this research, several species of floating aquatic plants with high reproductive rates were compared in aspects of characterisation and the performance in phytoremediation. Besides, the parameter studies on the effect of solution pH, initial heavy metal and addition of chelating agent on the phytoremediation efficiency were conducted. From the surface morphology study, the Salviniaceae family species with numerous fine, thin, and tiny roots extended roots could be beneficial in phytoremediation. The nickel (II) ions uptake ability for the floating aquatic plants followed the trend: Pistis stratiotes < Eichhornia crassipes < Salvinia auriculata < Salvinia natans. The optimum cultivation conditions were found at solution pH of 7-8, 4 mg/L of nickel (II) ions and 0.1 mg/L of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as chelating agents to remove 65.14 %, 78.1 %, 93.52 % and 93.1 % of nickel (II) ions after seven days by Pistia stratiotes, Eichhornia crassipes, Salvinia natans and Salvinia auriculata, respectively. The phytoremediation of nickel (II) ions followed pseudo-second kinetic model and Freundlich isotherm model. In conclusion, the phytoremediation by floating aquatic plant was applicable in removing nickel (II) ions from the water source.