EVALUATION OF THE PHYTOREMEDIATION POTENTIAL OF AZOLLA CAROLINIANA FOR THE REMOVAL OF TOXIC METALS FROM INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS

Abstract

The dynamics of the uptake of heavy metals, particularly chromium and cadmium ions, from wastewater by the
Azolla caroliniana culture and its efficiency in the bioremediation process were studied. According to the research results,
the initial average concentration of chromium in the wastewater environment was 2.27 mg/L. By the 14th day of the cultivation
process, the amount of metal in the incubation medium had sharply decreased, and the average uptake value
reached 1.54 mg/g. In addition, the uptake of cadmium (Cd) ions, studied as a conditional experiment, also proceeded
intensively during the first 14 days, and it was found that the average concentration in the medium decreased from 1.95
mg/L to 0.58 mg/L. During the study, the occurrence of necrosis in Azolla leaves after days 14–16 and the cessation of
dynamic growth on day 21 were observed. Taking these conditions into account, the necessity of periodically renewing
plant biomass in biological wastewater treatment technologies was scientifically substantiated