Laboratory Assessment of Cadmium, Copper, and Zinc Phytoaccumulation by Ipomoea aquatica, Peltandra virginica, and Salvinia molesta for Phytoremediation Potential

Abstract

Heavy metal contamination in aquatic ecosystems poses significant risks to biodiversity and human health. Conventional remediation methods, while effective, are often expensive and inefficient. This study explores phytoremediation—a sustainable and cost-effective alternative that uses plants to remove pollutants—as a potential solution. We assessed the accumulation capacities of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) by three aquatic plant species: Ipomoea aquatica (water spinach), Peltandra virginica (arrow arum), and Salvinia molesta (giant salvinia). Plants were acclimatized for seven days before exposure to metal solutions at concentrations of 5 mg/L, 10 mg/L, and 15 mg/L over a 20-day period under controlled laboratory conditions. Sampling was performed every four days, and metal accumulation was quantified using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine statistically significant differences in uptake among species. I. aquatica exhibited the highest Cd accumulation (13.77 mg/L) at 15 mg/L concentration, with a removal efficiency of 89.7%. S. molesta showed the greatest Cu (57.3%) and Zn (92.6%) removal efficiencies at 15 mg/L and 10 mg/L, respectively. Statistically significant differences in metal uptake were observed at higher concentrations. These findings suggest that I. aquatica and S. molesta are potential plant for phytoremediation applications in contaminated aquatic environments. Further research is recommended to enhance their uptake mechanisms and evaluate scalability under field conditions.