Growth response and phytoremediation of several species of hydrophytes to ammonium butyl aerofloat in metal mines

For applying phytoremediation to control the soil and water polluted by floatation organic reagents, three species of hydrophytes were cultivated in nutrient solution spiked with different concentrations of ammonium butyl aerofloat to investigate their growth response and phytoremediation to ammonium butyl aerofloat. The results showed that the resistance capability of hydrophytes to ammonium butyl aerofloat pollution was Hydrilla verticillata >Eichhornia crassipes Solms>Pistia stratiotes L. When the mass concentration of ammonium butyl aerofloat was 10 mg/L, mild intoxication was observed for Pistia stratiotes L, and its growth was significantly lower than the blank control (no ammonium butyl aerofloat added). When the mass concentration was up to 50 mg/L, moderate intoxication was observed for both Pistia stratiotes L and Eichhornia crassipes Solms, and their growth was both significantly lower than the blank control. The removal rates of ammonium butyl aerofloat in hydrophytes treatments were all significantly higher than the control (no hydrophytes planted), and the removal rates among hydrophytes treatments also varied significantly in the following order: Eichhornia crassipes Solms>Pistia stratiotes L>Hydrilla verticillata. Eichhornia crassipes Solms can effectively remove the ammonium butyl aerofloat. A removal rate of up to 78% to 10 mg/L ammonium butyl aerofloat was obtained after 28 days. As plant uptake took up 76.3%, microorganism did about 7.8%, and the contribution rate of natural degradation was up to 15.8% to the total degradation of ammonium butyl aerofloat, Eichhornia crassipes Solms could be screened as a plant with high phytoremediation efficiency to ammonium butyl aerofloat pollution.