Investigation of Cr (VI) ion removal from soils using ornamental plants

In this study, determination of the ornamental plant species which can absorb very high levels of Cr (VI) ion from soil which is irrigated with synthetic wastewater, containing K2Cr2O7 (potassiumdichromate) at different concentrations, and also determination of the ornamental plant species which can tolerate the Cr (VI) ion irrigated by with high Cr (VI) concentration level, and can remove the Cr (VI) from the soil were aimed, with Aptenia Cordofolia, Brassica Juncea, Brassica Oleracea and Alyssum Martima ornamental plant species. For the study the Cr (VI) concentration of the prepared synthetic wastewater were determined as 2.6 ppm, 13 ppm, 26ppm and 52 ppm and torf growth media is used for growthing of the plants. The experimental period was continued 120 days where the first 45 days irrigating was accomplished with tap water. The remaining 75 days, irrigating was done with Cr (VI) solutions which were prepared at different concentrations. At the end of the study, the plants were seperated as growthing media, root, stems, leaf before the Cr (VI) amount was determined for accumulated concentrations at the plant structures. The Cr (VI) accumulation occurred at the plants cultivated in torf, were observes as Alyssum Maritima > Brassica Juncea > Brassica Oleracea > Aptenia Cordifolia respectively. Cr (VI) analyses conducted as dry weight basis, showed that Brassica Juncea, Brassica Oleracea and Aptenia Cordifolia accumulation were higher in the roots than sum of stems and leaves. But analyses showed that Cr (VI) accumulation in Alyssum Maritima was higher in the stemsand leaves than roots.Keywords: Phytoremediation, Ornamental Plants, Cr (VI) Accumulation