Removal Of Polychlorinated Biphenyls From The Water By Nano-Phyto Technology

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Author/Creator ORCID

Date

2016

Type of Work

Department

Biology

Program

Master of Science

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This item is made available by Morgan State University for personal, educational, and research purposes in accordance with Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Other uses may require permission from the copyright owner.

Abstract

The polychlorinated biphenyls are highly persistent, toxic, and lipophilic organochloride pollutants that are resistant to breakdown. These pollutants persist in all facets of the environment and pose a threat to streams, rivers ponds and ground water. In this study the submerged aquatic plant Egeria densa was used for the phytoremediation of water, because it absorbs polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) from its entire leaf surface and have the tendency to form canopy at the bottom. Therefore PCB has a greater chance to come in contact with the leaf surface and get absorbed by the plant. Though the rate of PCB absorption is dependent on the rate of photosynthesis, Egeria densa still absorbs some PCB even in the absence of photosynthesis. This plant also has the capacity to dechlorinate PCB molecules inside the leaf tissue. In this study we demonstrated that when Egeria densa was injected with carbon nanotubes the plant shows the absorption and highest rate of degradation of the PCB in the presence of the infrared light.