Phytoremediation of 137 Cs from low level nuclear waste using Catharanthus roseus

Abstract

Remediation of radionuclides has been carried out using the phytoremediation technology. The green plants have been screened for the uptake potential of radionuclide and found that Catharanthus roseus has the high potential for radionuclides in particular 137 Cs. Low level nuclear waste (LLNW) collected from effluent treatment plant, BARC has been characterized for physico-chemical and the presence of traces of radionuclides. LLNW was spiked with 3.7×10 4 kBqL ―1 activity level of 137 Cs. The plants of C. roseus were grown in (i) LLNW, (ii) 137 Cs spiked LLNW and (iii) with the control. The radio activities were measured in the solution at the intervals of 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and 15 days in triplicate set of the experiment. The plants were harvested after the growth. The depletion of 137 Cs in LLNW was found to be 19, 21, 24, 38, 60 and 76% at intervals of 1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and 15 days, respectively. The bio-accumulation of 137 Cs has been measured in the roots and shoots of the harvested plants. The activity of 137 Cs was found higher in shoots (998 kBq g ―1 dw) as compared to the roots (735 kBq g ―1 dw). The uptake of radionuclide- 137 Cs, bio-accumulation in the shoot via the active transport from the root, shows the high efficiency and potentiality of C. roseus for the remediation of radionuclide. The bio-accumulation of 137 Cs in the shoot will remediate the radionuclide contamination from LLNW. C. roseus can also be made applicable for effective remediation of radionuclides present in the LLNW.