THE USED OF AQUATIC WETLAND PLANT PHYLIDRUM LANUGINOSUM TO REMOVE LEAD FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION By

Aquatic plants can be used to remove heavy metals contamination from the surrounding water. This study focused on the ability of Phylidrum lanuginosum to remove lead in aqueous solution. P. lanuginosum roots were exposed to lead solution at concentration of 50 mg/L, 100 mg/L, 150 mg/L and 200mg/L for 120 hours. Results showed that 100 % of lead was removed from 50 mg/L of initial concentration within 80 hours of treatment time. Additional 20 hours was taken to complete the lead removal in 100 mg/L of initial lead concentration. It was observed that after 120 hours of treatment time, 83.17 % and 70.02 % of lead were removed from 150 mg/L and 200 mg/L of initial concentration respectively. The results of this study indicated that P. lanuginosum was less efficient in removal of lead by roots in high initial concentration (200 mg/L). Lead contents in roots increased with the increase of lead concentration in the solutions. The highest lead in the plant roots was 130.04 mg/L in the 200 mg/L of initial lead concentration. High capability of Phylidrum lanuginosum to remove lead in solutions will propose the utilization of this plant to clean up lead contaminated water