Potential of Aquatic Plants for Pesticide Removal in Wastewater: A Case Study on Pentachlorophenol

Today, soil and water pollution by pesticides is a serious problem worldwide. Compared with conventionally expensive, invasive, and sometimes ineffective techniques for pentachlorophenol (PCP) dealing, such as excavation, dredging and some chemical methods, in situ treatment strategies are more effective at reducing risk and decreasing expenditures on management. Among the in situ treatments, bioremediation (microbial remediation and phytoremediation) is thought to be capable in permanent pollutants elimination at low cost. Therefore, phytoremediation has received more attention in the last decade. Phytoremediation is applicable owing to its esthetic value, environment friendly, manipulation in situ and economic benefit. However, the previous phytoremediation studies mostly focused on the use of terrestrial plants and remediation of heavy metals. Sediments in aquatic environment are regarded as ultimate sink of organic contaminants, but little information is available on the possibility of use of aquatic macrophytes for remediation of organic toxicants in aquatic environment. It is, therefore, necessary to develop phytoremediation method of PCP by using aquatic macrophytes