Absorption characteristics of compound heavy metals vanadium, chromium, and cadmium in water by emergent macrophytes and its combinations.

The aim of the present study was to investigate three kinds of emergent macrophytes, i.e., Acorus calamus L., Phragmites communis Trin., and Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb and their combination patterns on their removal efficiency of compound heavy metals (vanadium, chromium, and cadmium) from synthetic aqueous. The results showed that the optimal single-species for compound heavy metals removal was Acorus calamus L. and during experiment period, the average removal efficiency of V, Cr, and Cd was 52.4, 46.8, and 90.0%, respectively. Combination C (the quality ratio of Acorus calamus L., Phragmites communis Trin., and Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb is 2:1:1) had the highest removal efficiency on compound heavy metals among three groups and the average removal efficiency of V, Cr, and Cd was 18.0, 70.0, and 95.1%, respectively. The highest efficiency of combination C on V removal was lower than single Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb group; this may be an existing antagonism in different plants. Heavy metals of V, Cr, and Cd had an obviously positive effect on SOD, CAT, and POD of emergent macrophytes. From these results, we conclude that in a phytoremediation for the removal of compound heavy metals where V was dominated pollution in water, the use of Acorus calamus L. species rather than a mixture of several plants should be suggested. When heavy metal pollution was dominated by Cr and Cd, group C rather than a single plant species should be used.