Transcript Effect of Eicchornia in Removing Alkaline Battery wastes

GERMAN EUROPEAN SCHOOL
Team members
Brian Dahlems
Lara Juergens
Gautham Balaya
Leo Hautzinger
RP Staff Advisor
Dr. TAN LAY PHENG
Teacher in charge
Mrs. Krishnaveni Kumaresan
Objective
 To remove the alkaline battery waste
metals- zinc and manganese using
Eicchornia crassipes.
 To check whether the metal can be
better absorbed in the powdered form
or in the soluble salt form.
 To check its survival
containing the metals.
in
water
Hypothesis
Eicchornia, a free floating plant, could be
used to remove the heavy metal wastes from
the metallic waste water due to its efficient
filamentous root system with larger surface
area of absorption. For this reason , we
predicted that the plant would remove the
zinc and manganese from the metallic waste
water and battery wastes.
Eicchornia
 Free-floating perennial aquatic plant.
 One of the fastest growing plants – with thick
glossy leaves it may rise over 1 meter in
height.
 Ability to grow in polluted or toxic water; can
withstand extreme pH and temperature
conditions.
Alkaline Battery Waste
 Alkaline battery works through
reaction of zinc and manganese
dioxide.
 The zinc and manganese left behind
serve as a pollutant, when released
into water, heavy metal poisoning can
result leading to bio-magnification.
Methodology
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Collection of Plant samples.
Acclimatization of the plants.
Preparation of the water samples.
Growing the Eicchornia in the water samples.
Analyse the plants:
- FvFm value-every alternate days.
-Root length- at the initial and final day.
-Relative growth-at the initial and final day.
-Estimation of Zinc and Manganese –initial and
final.
-Estimation of pH of the water sample –initial
and final.
Materials
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Eicchornia crassipes
Four water
containers
Water sources: Tap
water
Zinc powder
Zinc chloride
solution
Manganese oxide
Crucible
Sterilized glass
wares
 Sterilized collection
bottles
 Distillation apparatus
 pH meter
 Handy PEA
fluorometer
 Ruler
 Weighing scales
 ICP analyser
Results and Discussion
Plants grown in tap
water – W4
Plants grown in Zinc
chloride solution W2
Conclusion
Eicchornia was very effective in
clearing and absorbing the soluble
form of Zinc and Manganese from the
water.
We therefore suggest that the
Eicchornia can in fact be used as a
potential metal clearing agent in
polluted water with metallic wastes.