Effect of pH and Temperature on the Efficiency of Indigenous Algae to Remove Contaminants from Artificial Wastewaters (original) (raw)

2014, IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science

A series of Lab incubation experiments were conducted to assess the effect of different pHs (5.5., 7.0 and 8.5) and temperature ranges (25, 30 and 35 0 C) on the ability of indigenous algal species for removal of contaminants and other heavy metals, from artificial contaminated water during 2012-13. For this purpose, algal samples were collected from different areas in district Buner. Artificial contaminated waters were prepared and amended to pH 5.5, 7.0 or 8.5 using dilute alkali or acid and then each set was inoculated with mix culture of Microspora, Navicula, Chaetophora, Spirogyra, Apanothece, and Hydrodictyon as these were most abundant and common algal species in Buner. After inoculation, each set was incubated at 25, 30 or 35 o C for 10 days. The results obtained on the efficiency of indigenous algae collected from Buner to remove contaminants and other heavy metals from artificial wastewaters under different pH levels (5.5, 7.0 and 8.5) and temperature ranges (25, 30 and 35 0 C) showed that a mix culture of algae viz., Microspora, Navicula, Chaetophora, Spirogyra, Apanothece, and Hydrodictyon removed variable amount of heavy metals ranged from 37 % in case of Cu up to 96 % in case of Ni from wastewaters. The results revealed that change in pH between 5.5 and 8.5 and in temperature between 25 and 35 0 C had no remarkable influence on the efficiency of algae to remove these elements from contaminated water.