Bioaccumulation Of Salts And Heavy Metals By Suaeda Monoica A Salt Marsh Halophyte From Paper Mill Effluent Contaminated Soil

Halophytes survive stressful conditions by employing three main strategies: escape, tolerance and survival. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the capability of Suaeda monoica to accumulate the heavy metals and salts from the paper mill effluent treated soil. Plants have been grown for 120 days with an irrigation solution of 250 ml of 75% raw paper mill effluent after four drenching. After 120 days of cultivation Suaeda monoica accumulates 15.00 mg Cd, 18.66 mg Cr, 23.89 mg Cu and 22.33 mg Zn from 1 kg dry weight of overall plant sample. Regarding salinity remediation strategies, Suaeda monoica accumulates 172.20 mg NaCl from 1 g dry weight of plant sample. The results showed on desalination and bioaccumulation potential of the Suaeda monoica which was reflected through reduction of the soil electric conductivity from 4.75 to 2.10 dS m -1 and pH from 8.40 to 6.73. The bioaccumulation strategy of Suaeda monoica in the present study confirmed that this species could be used for the restoration purpose through bioaccumulation of salts and heavy metals from paper mill effluent contaminated soil.