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TREATMENT OF WASTEWATER BY LEMNA MINOR

SHAZIA IRAM¹, IFTIKHAR AHMAD², YOUSAF RIAZ² AND AYESHA ZAHRA¹

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to study the performance of bio-treatment ponds after one year of functioning at National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad, Pakistan. The physical parameters (colour, pH, EC, TDS, turbidity) and chemical parameters (Zn, Cu, Cd, Ni, Mn, Fe and Pb) are within the limits which are not sub-lethal for fish rearing. Lemna accumulates higher concentration of heavy metals as compared to wastewater and best for phytoremediation purpose. The treated wastewater is currently used for rearing of fish and irrigation of crops and plants. The plants around the bio-treatment ponds are healthy, green and showing enough production. The present investigation indicates that in future it would be possible to construct bio-treatment ponds in polluted areas of Pakistan.

¹Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, The Mall, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

²National Institute of Bioremediation, National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad, Pakistan