Title: Assessment of heavy metal contamination and removal using Ceratophyllum demersum L.: a case study

Authors: Aybike Gül Karaoğlu; Mehmet Kobya; Aysegul Yagmur Goren; Esra Meşe; Melike Tepe

Addresses: Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli-Gebze, Turkey; The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey Marmara Research Center, Polar Research Institute, Turkey ' Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli-Gebze, Turkey; Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan ' Department of Environmental Engineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, İzmir, Turkey ' Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli-Gebze, Turkey ' Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Engineering, Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli-Gebze, Turkey

Abstract: Assessment of heavy metal contamination in aquatic ecosystems continues to remain challenging. In this regard, Ceratophyllum demersum L. (C. demersum L.) is a common species found in rivers and can be used as a bioindicator to see the accumulation of heavy metals in the plant body. In this study, we aimed to investigate the accumulation of toxic metals and their effects on photosynthetic pigment content in plants for different seasons. The highest metal accumulations were observed in October 2019. The mean boron concentrations were 399 mg/kg in October 2019, while they were measured as 163 mg/kg in July 2020, most probably due to the decreasing agricultural activities in the studied area. However, the highest metal concentrations (aluminium 3,941 mg/kg and iron 5,161 mg/kg) were measured in July 2010. Moreover, the pigment content values were decreased with the increasing metal concentration in plants. The highest pigment content of 4.7 µg/g was observed in October 2019, related to the low metal contamination in this season. Overall, C. demersum L. is a promising bioindicator of heavy metal pollution in water bodies with a significant amount of heavy metal accumulation capacity in a sustainable manner.

Keywords: Ceratophyllum demersum L.; heavy metals; abiotic stresses; phytoremediation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2024.139897

International Journal of Global Warming, 2024 Vol.33 No.4, pp.330 - 348

Received: 25 Oct 2023
Accepted: 10 Feb 2024
Published online: 09 Jul 2024 *

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