Bioconcentration Factor (BCF), Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF), Metal Enrichment Factor (MEF), and Metal Translocation Factor (MTF) for the submerged macrophyte species Ceratophyllum demersum

  • Unique Paper ID: 175133
  • Volume: 11
  • Issue: 11
  • PageNo: 1903-1913
  • Abstract:
  • Heavy metals are prevalent environmental pollutants that pose significant concerns due to their toxic, persistent, and non-degradable characteristics. The biological factors associated with metals in plants are crucial for the phytoremediation process, as they provide insights into the plants' capacity to uptake metals, their translocation within plant tissues, and their storage in above-ground biomass. This information is essential for identifying suitable macrophytes capable of absorbing substantial amounts of these elements. Consequently, this study aims to assess and evaluate the Bioconcentration Factor (BCF), Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF), Metal Enrichment Factor (MEF), and Metal Translocation Factor (MTF) of the submerged macrophyte species Ceratophyllum demersum through a hydroponic bioassay. The hydroponic bioassay was conducted from June 2018 to December 2022, exposing Ceratophyllum demersum to a mixed metal solution to evaluate its ability to absorb, transfer, accumulate, and enrich heavy metals, thereby determining its potential for phytoremediation applications. The findings of this study highlighted the phytoremediation capabilities and accumulation patterns of ten heavy metals: As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn across various plant organs of Ceratophyllum demersum. The results indicated that the order of BCF for the metals analyzed is Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > Pb > Cd > Cr > Co > As > Ni > Sr, while the order of MEF is Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > Cd > Pb > Cr > Co > As > Sr > Ni. The BAF for the studied metals follows the order Zn > Fe > Mn > Cu > Cd > Pb > Cr > Co > Sr > As > Ni, and the MTF is ranked as Zn > Sr > Fe > Cu > Cd > Mn > Pb > As > Co > Cr > Ni. Notably, Ceratophyllum demersum acts as a hyperaccumulator for Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni, Co, Cr, and As, with the exception of Sr, which has a BCF of less than 1.

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