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Growth Performance of Six Plant Species and Removal of Heavy Metal Pollutants (Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn) in a Field-Scale Bi-Phasic Rain Garden

Florence, Darlene Christina
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1250552547

Abstract Details

2009, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Soil Science.
A field-scale, bi-phasic rain garden (three replicates) was constructed to evaluate the growth of six plant species native to Ohio and the effectiveness of the rain garden to remediate heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn) from simulated stormwater runoff. The first phase, an anaerobic, oxygen-poor zone contained Eupatorium perfoliatum (boneset), Tradescantia ohiensis (spiderwort) and Veronicastrum virginicum (culver’s root). In the second, aerobic, oxygen-rich zone Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass), Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower) and Eragrostis spectabilis (purple lovegrass) were grown. The plants, 234 overall, were evaluated over six months in 2008 and four months in 2009 with regards to height, width, number of flowers and general observations. Heavy metal remediation was evaluated over three simulated storm events that were carried out over an 11-day period with each rain event five days apart. During the first two storms, heavy metal pollutants were applied and the effluent water was measured on the eleventh day. On a mass balance basis, there was greater than 99% removal efficiency for Cu, Cr and Pb. In one replication, there was only a 72% removal of Zn, whereas the removal efficiency for the other two replications was greater than 99%. Most of the plants established well. The grasses S. nutans and E. spectabilis established slowest and E. perfoliatum and E. purpurea established the fastest. After the first year, 91% of the total plants survived and re-grew in the second year. V. virginicum had the poorest survival with nearly a quarter of the plants not growing in the second year, the highest of any species. The suitability of this species and E. perfoliatum, with its leaves having been eaten by insects, is questionable in this bi-phasic rain garden. The other species were suitable under the tested conditions. Careful selection of plants, including those native to Ohio, resulted in plants that grew well in the bi-phasic rain garden and provided both effective remediation of heavy-metal contaminated storm runoff and an aesthetically pleasing urban landscape.
Warren Dick, PhD (Advisor)
Parwinder Grewal, PhD (Committee Member)
Edward McCoy, PhD (Committee Member)
172 p.
Environmental Engineering; Environmental Science; Soil Sciences
bi-phasic bioretention rain garden; runoff pollutants; heavy metals; plants native to Ohio

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Florence, D. C. (2009). Growth Performance of Six Plant Species and Removal of Heavy Metal Pollutants (Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn) in a Field-Scale Bi-Phasic Rain Garden [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1250552547

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Florence, Darlene. Growth Performance of Six Plant Species and Removal of Heavy Metal Pollutants (Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn) in a Field-Scale Bi-Phasic Rain Garden. 2009. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1250552547.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Florence, Darlene. "Growth Performance of Six Plant Species and Removal of Heavy Metal Pollutants (Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn) in a Field-Scale Bi-Phasic Rain Garden." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1250552547

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.