Biocleansing with Aquatic Weeds: A Means of Removing Asbestiform Fibers from Water

摘要

Research was conducted to find a suitable aquatic plant for the removal of abestos from municipal water supplies. Aquatic plants were grown in 35 and 200 liter aquaria and exposed to known concentrations of equal parts of chrysotile and tremolite asbestos with water circulation provided by air stones. Water samples and thin plant sections were taken for asbestos analysis by electron microscopy. All plant types removed asbestos fibers to some degree, with elodea removing the greatest number per gram of plant material. Data were also obtained for pondweed, scirpus, and sagittaria. The amount of asbestos fibers removed was directly proportional to the surface area of the plant.