Experimental Water Purification by Plant-Purification of the Polluted Water with Heavy Metals

The aim of the studies are to examine the function of plants to absorb heavy metals. Two species of plants were used for the experiments with polluted water.

One is Athyrium yokoscense of the fern species which is able to absorb heavy metals, the other is Eichhornia crassipes which is generally used forwater purification of eutrophic lakes and ponds. The cross section of each plant's petiole and root was examined with optical microscope and scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analyzer. It was found that heavy metals of Zn and Pb were accumulated by these plants.