PARENT SESSION
Tuesday, August 8, 5:00-6:30 pm
Poster Session 9 - Restoration and conservation ecology and ecosystem management
Exhibit Hall, Ballroom Level, Cook Convention Center

Uptake of arsenic by macroalgae: phytoremediation.

Ghassemzadeh, Fereshteh^*,1, Alavi Moghadam, Mohammad Reza², Arbab Zavar, Mohammad Hossein¹, Babaee, Yasaman², ¹ Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, IRAN² Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, IRAN

ABSTRACT- Arsenic has been verified through epidemiological evidence as one of the most carcinogenic and toxic substances in surface and ground water. In the context of prevalence of high concentration of arsenic in water, a wide range technology has been tried for the removal of arsenic from drinking water. However these technologies need to be surveyed in order to validate the efficiency, cost and maintenance requirements. Phytoremediation is the direct use of living green plants to degrade, contain or render harmless various environmental contaminants. This cost-effective plant-based approach to remediation takes advantage of the remarkable ability of plants to concentrate elements and compounds from the environment. Toxic heavy metals and organic pollutants are the major targets of phytoremediation. This study focused on phytoremediation of arsenic from polluted water (Chelpo area, Northeast, Iran) by a macroalgae. This region is naturally rich in arsenic. In the earlier reports, the concentration of arsenic exceeded WHO limits for the drinking water from this area. An investigation was carried out on the concentration of arsenic in the aquariums (designed for this experiment) in two concentrations (250 ppb and 450 ppb) and 12 days of exposure. The arsenic uptake ability of this plant was determined by measuring the arsenic content in algae and in the water. The result show the arsenic content reduce about 60% in the water of the aquariums and will arise in the algae approximately 3.4 g As g^-1 dry weight ( two times greater than initial content ). Of course all the arsenic lost in the water is not related only to algae and probably lost by microorganisms and through geochemical conditions. The efficiency of the plant for arsenic accumulation depended on the arsenic content in the water and the amount of algae.

Key words: Phytoremediation, Chara, Arsenic