Photochemical studies of Eichhornia crassipes (Water Hyacinth)

Eichhornia crassipes is a floating macrophyte. It is capable of assimilating large quantities of toxic metals, some of which are essential for plant growth. Water Hyacinth grows rapidly in water with a high level of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous. The plants have been shown to absorb trace elements such as Silver (Ag), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd) and Copper (Cu) reported by Lu et al [1]. The purpose of this study is to determine the distribution of heavy metals in different parts of the Water Hyacinth . Such a detail study has been taken for the first time. It is expected that the metal distribution within the plant species would be a representation of the concentration and distribution of the water in which it is found. Plants have the ability to accumulate non-essential and essential trace elements and this ability could be harnessed to remove pollutant metals from the environment. Aluminum, cadmium, calcium, copper, iron, lead, magnesium and zinc have been found in different amounts in roots, stems , leaves and flowers.