- Title
- An investigation into the biological treatment of platinum refinery effluent using the plant Azolla Filiculoides
- Creator
- Marran, Vernon Edward
- ThesisAdvisor
- Whittington-Jones, K
- Subject
- Uncatalogued
- Date
- 2003
- Type
- Master's theses
- Type
- text
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193453
- Identifier
- vital:45333
- Description
- In order to understand the effects of metals contained in effluent and to define effluent quality suitable for safe discharge to natural water streams, it is essential to understand the effects of the interaction of metal ions with plants. The availability of metal ions and their ability to bind to plants are dependent on the chemical speciation of metals and on the biological factors governing the availability of metals within the plant cells. This thesis will address both aspects and thereby propose a combination of an appropriate chemical and biological approach to the investigation of bioaccumulation of the plant Azolla Filiculoides. Laboratory studies have shown that varying concentrations of free metal ions in solution determine efficiency of metal uptake and that metal toxicity can also be detrimental to plant life and efficiency of metal recovery from solution. Many questions however, remain unanswered with regard to the application of a biological treatment for effluent discharge. This thesis includes the determination of metal speciation combined with the study of bioaccumulation of metals in plants and their effects from test- work utilising effluent generated from a Precious Metals Refinery (PMR). Plant species are known to differ widely in their tolerance to metals, however despite an abundant knowledge on molecular, biochemical and physiological effects of metals to plants, only a few general principles have been proposed to guide the prediction of tolerance differences. The properties of protective cellular responses as well as of the molecular target sites are important components in determining the intrinsic tolerance of a particular species to a metal. The role of the whole assembly of cellular ligands in buffering metal ions within the cells will be evaluated. Standard preparation methods combined with use of Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrophotometer (1CP) used for analytical analysis will be included to reflect analytical data in providing evidence to support a conclusion. The outcome of the test work utilising the aquatic plant Azoila has proven that it can be used as a process step to re-mediate effluent generated from Precious Metal Refining operations. This process offers an alternative to the classical chemical methods widely used in the Precious Metals Refining industry proving economically viable and ensuring environmental sustainability in comparison to the current known methods of effluent treatment.
- Description
- Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2003
- Format
- computer, online resource, application/pdf, 1 online resource (103 pages), pdf
- Publisher
- Rhodes College, Faculty of Science, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Marran, Vernon Edward
- Rights
- Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
- Rights
- Open Access
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RU Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology (end of 2014)
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | MARRAN-MSC-TR03-un2.pdf | 2 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |