Avaliação do potencial de girassol (Helianthus annuus) na remediação de efluentes contaminados por corantes têxteis

Abstract

The growing increase of concern for the environment issues has led to the development of environmentally friendly alternatives for the treatment and recovery of contaminated sites. One can cite as a treatment, the phytoremediation technique that is based on the use of plants capable of accumulating, degrading or transforming various pollutants. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) appears as a potential phytoremediation agent, due to its already known potential to treat contaminated areas, mainly with metals, and its economic importance in the production of biodiesel. The ability of theplant H. annuus to discolor solutions was evalueted, testing the following dyes: Remazol Blue RGB, Levafix Orange E3-GA, Astrazon Red, Mordant Orange 1, Remazol Marine and Telon Turquoise were tested.There was 87% discoloration of the solution of the dye Astrazon Red, in the period of 48 hours, reaching 100% of discoloration with 7 days. Histological analysis of the root and stem tissues shows that the plant is able to accumulate this dye in these tissues. The activities of the enzymes peroxidase, laccase, catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes were evaluated in the root and leaf tissues of plants grown in contact with dye. Most of the enzymes showed that their activity was induced by the presence of the dye, indicating that the dyes are responsible for causing stress in the plant due to its toxicity. This toxicity was also tested in nauplii of Artemia salina, being decreased in the blue Remazol, Levafix orange and Mordente orange dyes after treatment with H. annuus plants. Further tests are still needed to assess the sunflower biremediator potential.