Original Articles
James Raj and L. Jeyanthi Rebe
Abstract
Heavy metals are one of the most important environmental pollutants. Such heavy metal exposure is due to the industrial activities like mining, smelting, refining and manufacturing process. The aim of this study was to find the effect of phytoextraction of aluminium and lead in hydroponics culture by using Raphanus sativus, Vigna radiata and Cicer arietinum. The plants were allowed to grow in static hydroponic culture at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mM concentrations of aluminium chloride and lead acetate. The germination percentage was determined. It was found that the germination percentage of the seeds decreased with an increase in the concentration of the heavy metals. The maximum permissible limit of Al and Pb for Raphanus sativus was 15 mM whereas it was 25 mM and 35 mM, respectively for Vigna radiata. Finally the permissible limit was least for Cicer arietinum namely, 5 mM and 10 mM, respectively for Al and Pb.