Analysis of the copper removal kinetics of the Philippine giant bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper) in hydroponics

Copper is the third most utilized metal and is a versatile resource with multiple beneficial uses, but it may also become toxic to aquatic life in excess amount. Thus, there is a need to develop methods to reduce the copper contamination in the environment, particularly in bodies of water. Phytoremediation using Dendrocalamus asper may offer an environment-benign and potentially effective method for copper removal though its effectiveness may take several years to materialize for this technology to become cost-effective. By growing D. asper in synthesized contaminated water and analyzing the change in the copper content of the substrate via atomic absorption spectrophotometry, the removal was found to be optimal at 20 ppm Cu and pH 5. The rate of removal was found to have an order of 2.71 and a kinetic constant of 0.0013 ppm−1.71 day−1. With this, it may be possible to estimate the treatment length of phytoremediation given an initial level of copper contamination and a target concentration. Kinetics; Copper; Bamboo; Philippines; Phytoremediation; Dendrocalamus asper.