BIOREMEDIATION POTENTIAL OF BRASSICAJUNCEA AGAINST FISH

AND SHRIMP DISPOSAL

I. Jeevan Madhukar* and C.V.Narasimha Murthy

*Department of Chemistry, PBR Visvodaya Institute of Technology and Science, Kavali
Department of Zoology, V.S.University P.G.Centre, Kavali.

ABSTRACT
Processing of large bulk of fish, shrimp and other aquatic organisms produces a

corresponding large bulk of by-products and wastes. Although recent trend shows that much of

these wastes are made into various value added products, considerable quantities are discharged

as the processing effluents with large volume of waters used in processing. Reports suggest that

fish and shrimp processing effluents are very high in biological oxygen demand (BOD),

chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), fat-oil-grease (FOG), pathogenic

and other micro flora, organic matters and nutrients, etc. Fish and shrimp processing effluents

are, therefore, highly likely to produce adverse effects on the receiving coastal and marine

environments.

Phytoremediation is an attractive alternative to conventional treatments of soil due to

advantages such as low cost, large application areas, and the possibility of in situ treatment. This

study presents the assessment of Phytoremediation processes conducted under controlled

experimental conditions to evaluate the ability of Brassica juncea (L.) Czern., tropical plant

species, to promote the degradation of extractable organic matter. The results shows that there is

a decrease in BOD, COD, TDS, TSS and FOG contents in Brassica juncea (L.) treated plots over

control.

Key words: Shrimp and Fish waste; bioremediation ; Brassica juncea, COD; BOD
Introduction:

Global production of sh and shrimp has been in a steadily increasing trend over the last

decade (and this trend is expected to continue (FAO, 2002). Processing of large bulk of fish,

shrimp and other aquatic organisms produces a corresponding large bulk of by-products and

wastes. Much of these wastes are made into various value-added products, while considerable

quantities are discharged as the processing effluents with large volume of waters used in

processing. Fish and shrimp processing effluents are very high in biological oxygen demand,

chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, fat-oil-grease, pathogenic and other micro

flora, organic matters and nutrients. Fish and shrimp processing effluents are, therefore, highly

likely to produce adverse effects on the receiving coastal and marine environments. Although

substantial reduction of the waste loads is possible through application of available simple

techniques, due to lack of proper managerial and regulatory approaches this is not in practice in

most part of the India.

The conventional techniques used for remediation have been to dig up contaminated soil and

remove it to a landfill, or to cap and contain the contaminated areas of a site. The methods have

some drawbacks. The first method simply moves the contamination elsewhere and may create

significant risks in the excavation, handling, and transport of hazardous material. Additionally, it

is very difficult and increasingly expensive to find new landfill sites for the final disposal of the

material. The cap and contain method is only an interim solution since the contamination

remains on site, requiring monitoring and maintenance of the isolation barriers long into the

future, with all the associated costs and potential liability.

Bioremediation is an option that offers the possibility to destroy or render harmless various

contaminants using natural biological activity. As such, it uses relatively low-cost, low-
technology techniques, which generally have a high public acceptance and can often be carried

out on site. It will not always be suitable, however, as the range of contaminants on which it is

effective is limited, the time scales involved are relatively long, and the residual contaminant

levels achievable may not always be appropriate. Although the methodologies employed are not

technically complex, considerable experience and expertise may be required to design and

implement a successful bioremediation program, due to the need to thoroughly assess a site for

suitability and to optimize conditions to achieve a satisfactory result.

Hence in the present study an attempt is made to study the efficacy of using Brassica

juncea (L.) Czern for Phytoremediation of extractable organic matter.

Material

Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. Belonging to family Brassicaceae is popularly called as

Mustard greens, Leaf mustard, Indian mustard, Rai, Brown mustard. It is a perennial herb,

usually grown as an annual or biennial, up to 1 m or more tall; branches long, erect or patent;

lower leaves petioled, green, sometimes with a whitish bloom, ovate to obovate, variously lobed

with toothed, scalloped or frilled edges, lyrate-pinnatisect, with 12 lobes or leaflets on each side

and a larger sparsely setose, terminal lobe; upper leaves subentire, short petioled, 3060 mm

long, 23.5 mm wide, constricted at intervals, sessile, attenuate into a tapering, seedless, short

beak 510 mm long. Rooting depth 90120 cm. Seeds about 5,6606,000 per 0.01 kg.

Method:

Soil samples that were collected from the dump yards of shrimp processing unit DCL

Maritech. Rajupalem Village near Nellore, SPSR Nellore Dt.A.P. These samples were analyzed
by using standard methods for the examination of water and soil as prescribed by Strickland and

Parsons(1972); Trivedy and Goel (1986); NEERI(1988); APHA (1989) and TWAD (1998).

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN:

Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. Plants are grown in 60 Pots . Out of them 30 are ear marked as
control group and 30 pots are used for Bioremidiation by Brassica juncae. For control 30 pots no
treatment is given. For next 30 plants Shrimp and fish disposal waste is applied at the rate of
2kg/pot. They are called bioremidiation group. Soil samples are collected immediately after
treatment on 20th day from control and Brassica juncea treated pots. Again after 40 days the soil
samples are taken from 30 pots in which Brassica juncea remediation is done.

Results

The data is presented in Table. The results shows that there is significant reduction in the

pH(10.35%), Biological Oxygen Demand( -63.9% )Chemical Oxygen Demand(-59.1%), Total

dissolved Solids(-47.33% ) Total suspended solids (-49.82% ) and Fat Oil and grease(-42.85%) in

Brassica juncea bioremidiated pots.

Discussion

Phytoextraction or phytoaccumulation is the process used by the plants to accumulate

contaminants into the roots and aboveground shoots or leaves. This technique saves tremendous

remediation cost by accumulating low levels of contaminants from a widespread area. Unlike the

degradation mechanisms, this process produces a mass of plants and contaminants (usually

metals) that can be transported for disposal or recycling.

The data reveals that there is a reduction in the various polluting factors such as

biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, Total

dissolved solids , fat-oil-grease, in the Brassica juncea grown pots and 40 days of

Phytoremediation . Production of sh and shrimp processing wastes and their discharge into the
coastal and near shore environment is a serious problem. Processing wastes are primarily organic

in nature and therefore subject to bacterial decay. As a result, the oxygen concentration in the

water is reduced with an increase in BOD. This can starve aquatic life of the oxygen it needs and

anaerobic decomposition of organic matters lead to the breakdown of proteins and other

nitrogenous compounds, releasing hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and methane, all of which are

potentially hazardous to the ecosystem and toxic to marine organisms in low concentrations.

Nutrients resulting from decaying organic matter enhance plant growth and excessive plant

growth together with oxygen depletion can lead to alterations in ecosystem structure and these

are both features of eutrophication. Partially decomposed processing effluents entering coastal

waters contain a variety of harmful substances and pathogens and a variety of other organic and

inorganic wastes. As nutrient levels increase so does the chance of algal bloom development.

Water extractable organic matter consists a continuum ranging from small molecular

weight and labile compounds such as mono and disaccharids , amino acids, and soluble phenols

to slowly degradable carbohydrates, chitoson etc. Processing wastes are primarily organic in

nature and therefore subject to bacterial decay. As a result, the oxygen concentration in the water

is reduced with an increase in BOD. This can starve aquatic life of the oxygen it needs and

anaerobic decomposition of organic matters lead to the breakdown of proteins and other

nitrogenous compounds, releasing hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and methane, all of which are

potentially hazardous to the ecosystem and toxic to marine organisms in low concentrations.

Around the point of discharge, there is a short-term increase in nutrients and, hence, prey items

for the sh and, on occasions an increase in habitat complexity, which may cause an initial Oils

and waxes in natural waters most likely come from vegetation and aquatic life. Oils or fats and

waxes from plants and animals are, for the most part, of the ester typethat is, the combination
of an alcohol with an organic acid. Most oils are insoluble in water but may be dispersed by

natural and waste chemicals such as soaps and detergents. Ester-type compounds can hydrolyze

to become soluble, form soaps, and further aid dispersion of the insoluble material. Oils, greases,

fats, and waxes can severely damage water quality by producing a visible film on the surface,

imparting an odor to the water and causing a noxious taste, coating the banks and bottoms of the

water body by adsorbing on sediment.

Acknowledgements:
The authors are thankful to UGC for the financial Assistance in the form of UGC Minor research
Project.

References
APHA, AWWA WPCF (1989). Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and
Wastewater(Lenorre S. Clesceri, Arnold E. and Green Berg, eds.). 17thedn. American Public
Health Association, Washington, D.C. 2000 J.
FAO, 2002. FAO Fisheries statistical yearbook 2002. Food and Agricultural Organization of the
United Nations, Rome.

NEERI (1988). Water and Wastewater Analysis, Course Manual. National Environmental
Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur, India.
Shahidul I.Md , Saleha .K , Masaru, T.2004. Waste loading in shrimp and sh processing
elements: potential source of hazards to the coastal and near shore environments . Marine
Pollution Bulletin .49 103110.
Strickland, J.D.H. and Parsons, T.R. (1972). A Practical Handbook of Seawater Analysis.
Bull.Fish. Res. Bd. Canada, 167: pp. 310.
Trivedhy, R.K. and Goel, P.K. (1986). Chemical and Biological methods for water pollution
studies. Environmental publications, India, pp. 167-171.
TWAD. (1998). Water and Wastewater AnalysisLab Manual. Research Developing and
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Table:

Bioremediation of extractable solids by Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. Values are mean of 15
observations. Mean, indicate standard deviation. - indicate percent decrease over control. p
denotes the level of significance.

S.No. Parameter Control Brassica Brassica Percent Change

Pots juncea juncea over 40 days of
Without grown Grown bioremediation by
any pots before pots after Brassica juncea.
Treatment 40 days of 40 days of
Remediation. Remediation.
1 PH 7.70.3 8.70.3 7.804 - 10.35
P<0.001
2 Chemical 1409.9 54039 22132 -59.1
Oxygen Demand P<0.001
Mg l-1)
3 Biological 160.237.7 360.2382 130.4 26.6 -63.9
Oxygen demand P<0.001
Mg l-1
4 Total 23414.8 824178 43451 -47.33
Dissolvable P<0.001
Solids
Mg l-1
5 Total Suspended 327 12.1 827 121 4.150.67 -49.82
Solids P<0.001
(Mgl-1)
6 Oil & Grease 0.8.20.45 4.20.45 2.40.38 -42.85
G/Kg P<0.001