Biosorption of arsenic from groundwater using Vallisneria gigantea plants. Kinetics, equilibrium and photophysical considerations

ANALÍA IRIEL; M. GABRIELA LAGORIO; ALICIA FERNÁNDEZ CIRELLI

CHEMOSPHERE

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2015

0045-6535

Arsenic (V) uptake from groundwaterby using Vallisneria gigantea plantswas studied using batch experiments. Reflectance and fluorescence of intactplants were investigated and changes in photophysical properties followingarsenic absorption were reported. Good correlations have been found betweenarsenic concentration in groundwater and parameters derived from reflectanceand fluorescence measurements. This system reached its equilibrium after sevendays when the removal quantities were strongly dependent on the initial arsenicconcentration. Interestingly, Vallisneriaplants were able to accumulate from 100 to 600 mg As Kg-1 in roots and fronds although the translocationfactors were low (0.6 to 1.6). Kinetic data for biosorption process followed afirst-order law. At low arsenic concentrations the uptake in plants wasgoverned by diffusion aspects. Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevichmodels were applied and results demonstrated that arsenic uptake was betterdescribed by the Langmuir model. As a final remark we concluded that a plant ofthis species should be able to remove 1 mg As per week.