ABSTRACT
Arsenic (As) is a detrimental pollutant of drinking water, causing adverse effects on human health. Various removal technologies have been implemented but now the focus has been shifted on the development of cheap and easy to maintain removal technologies. Plants have a unique ability to remove toxicants from water by its accumulation efficacy. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the remedial capacity of Hygrophila spinosa (Starthorn), a phyto-adsorbent of As from contaminated drinking water. A batch study has been performed on different controlling variables, such as adsorbent dose, pH condition, contact time and RPM (Rotation per minute/ agitation speed/ stirring rate). A whole sorption isotherm is considered to be the most appropriate approach for assessing bio-adsorbent capacity of an adsorbent. The results of this study show that phyto-adsorption could remove As (100 µg/L) up to 63.1% by Starthorn leaves following optimum conditions; adsorbent dose: 1 g, pH: 5, contact time: 4 hrs, RPM: 45. Freundlich isotherm further establishes the fact of reduction efficiency.
