eng Science and Education Publishing Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences 2013-10-15 1 1 92 97 10.12691/aees-1-5-4 AEES2013154 article Dipu Sukumaran dipudr@rediffmail.com 1 Central Pollution Control Board Zonal Office- Kolkata, Southend Conclave India, India Phytoremediation is the natural ability of certain plants to bioaccumulate, degrade, or render harmless contaminants in soils, water, or air. In the present study, an attempt to have a comparative assessment of the efficiency of aquatic weeds like Typha latifolia, Eichhornia crassipes, Salviniamolesta and Pistia stratiotesto treat the effluents under laboratory conditions. The bio concentration factor (BCF) of lead, copper, arsenic and cadmium by the floating and emergent plant were studied. The effluent of rare earth separating industry had high concentration of copper, cadmium and arsenic. Eichhornia crassipesand Typhalatifolia based constructed wetlands are the best options for treatment of the effluent. Lead from Titanium sponge industry effluent was removed prominently by Eichhorniacrassipes than the emergent plant Typha latifolia. But other heavy metals like copper and cadmium was removed prominently by Typha latifolia. http://pubs.sciepub.com/aees/1/5/4/aees-1-5-4.pdf bioconcentration factor constructed wetlands heavy metals macrophytes Phytoremediation