Affiliations: Department of Chemical Engineering and Polymer
Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Sylhet,
Bangladesh | Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Sylhet, Bangladesh | Department of Civil Engineering, International
University of Business, Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT) 4 Embankment Drive
Road, Sector #10, Uttara Model Town, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Abstract: Water hyacinths are free-floating aqueous weeds which can accumulate
metals. They have fibrous roots and obtain all of their nutrients from the
water. Determination of arsenic uptaking capacity of water hyacinth in
arsenic-contaminated water is the main objective of the study. Total of 1350
grams wet water hyacinths were taken from adaptation tank which was collected
from the Lake of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) campus
and were maintained in 27 L tap water supplemented with 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0
and 1.5 mg/L of As in three glass tanks and the test durations were 0, 6, 12,
24, 36, 48 and 72 hours. Samples were collected from three glass tanks and
arsenic remained in the solution was measured by Silver Di-ethyl Di-thyo
Carbamate (SDDC) method. It was found that the remaining concentration reached
below the permissible limit 0.05 mg/L (Bangladesh drinking water quality
standard) on or before 48 hours for initial concentration 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6 mg/L
of As. But for higher initial concentration (0.8, 1.0 and 1.5 mg/L) the
remaining concentration started to increase after 48 hours. So the gross
effective floating period for water hyacinth is 48 hours up to initial
concentration 0.6 mg/L.
