• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.384-392
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to investigate the removal efficiency of $17{\alpha}$-methyltestosterone (MT) from aqueous solution by Salvinia cucullata Roxb. ex Bory in an active plant-based reactor with a specific focus on linear regression analysis for the sorption phenomena of MT onto the plant roots. A high performance liquid chromatographic method using UV detection (245 nm) was used to analyse the samples. The batch experiments of the active plant reactor (APR) were established to investigate the ability of Salvinia cucullata to remove MT from the liquid phase. The results revealed that 40% and 60% removal of MT from the liquid phase was observed at 5 min. and at 4 h, respectively. Salvinia cucullata can effectively remove MT from the aqueous solution in APRs. Kinetic studies revealed that the sorption phenomena of MT by Salvinia is best described using a linearized pseudo - second order model. Based on the kinetic parameters, it is likely that during the first 4 h of the contact (t = 0 to t = 4 h) sorption is the major driving mechanism of the disappearance of MT from aqueous solutions. However, at higher MT concentrations, diffusivity of MT has a significant effect on the migration of MT from the bulk stream to the root surface. The isotherm analysis revealed that the sorption kinetics favourably followed pseudo second-order. The results of isotherm analysis have indicated that the sorption of MT onto the root surfaces of Salvinia cucullata was favourable and almost irreversible.