Bioaccumulation of Nutrients and Toxic Elements with Macrophytes

Abstract

Macrophytes (aquatic plants or hydrophytes) are sources of food and oxygen for aquatics (e.g., fish, invertebrates) and act as bioindicators for the assessment of environmental conditions in water reservoirs. This articles describes the bioaccumulation pattern of different elements (P, S, Cl, K, Rb, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, Mo, As, Se, and Pb) and polyphenols in seven plants (Azolla pinnata, Pistia stratiotes, Salvinia molesta, Nelumbo nucifera, Trapa natans, Persicaria punctate, and Persicaria maculosa) grown in the Kharun River (India). Total accumulated concentrations of the aforementioned elements of 55,140, 63,894, 55,706, 67,320, 32,071, 30,282, and 48,077 mg kg−1 (dw) were found for the biomass of the aforementioned plants, respectively. Certain elements, Mg, Ca, and Fe, were predominated in bioaccumulation. The concentrations of total polyphenols were 2,870, 12,970, 4,500, 10,720, 3,800, 20,800, and 18,950 mg kg−1 of dried weight (dw) for the previously mentioned plants, respectively. The distribution ratio of the elements in macrophytes to water is discussed, and a canonical correlation analysis is used to assess the relationship of water contaminants with macrophytes.