Journal of Research in Applied Chemistry

Authors:- Jyotsna Lal

Abstract:- According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and WHO, the permissible limit of copper in drinking water is 1.3 and 2.0 mg dm3, respectively [1]. However, the divalent copper (Cu2+) is toxic and carcinogenic when consumed in excess through ingestion. The excessive Cu2+ consumption leads to its deposition in liver and subsequent vomiting, headache, nausea, respiratory problems, abdominal pain, liver and kidney failure and finally gastrointestinal bleeding [6] there has been an increasing research into finding low-cost adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals from wastewaters. Agricultural by-products which have been studied for this purpose include peat, wood, pine bark, banana pith, cotton seed hulls, peanut shells, hazel nut shell, rice husk, saw dust, wool, orange peel, compost, maize cobs and guava leaves Removal of copper from water by bio sorption, using algal waste from agar extraction, either directly or as a composite material and dead biomass of algae Gelidium can be a promising process. Large quantities of algal waste are generated and can be reused before final disposal. The present study demonstrated the phytoremediation potential of water hyacinth ＂Eichhornia  crassipes .

Keywords:- Excess through ingestion, deposition in liver and subsequent, Agricultural by-products, present study demonstrated.