Study on Treatment of Groundwater using Phytoremediation Technique

This above provided project work was for my master’s degree
program from VIT or Vellore Institute of Technology
University. This research work was published as the principle
author or corresponding author in the International Journal
of Environmental Engineering at Inderscience
publications. Therefore, there are few distinctive similarities
of technical texts in the career episode (CE) from Inderscience
online publications and even thesis of VIT University.
Evidence – Below is the link of this research work published in
the International Journal of Environmental Engineering at
Inderscience online publication.
https://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/abs/10.1504/IJEE.2015.
069252
I can provide published article and project report as per request
for proving the originality of my works.
Career Episode 1
STUDY ON TREATMENT OF GROUNDWATER USING
PHYTOREMEDIATION TECHNIQUE
1.1 Introduction
This project work namely, “STUDY ON TREATMENT OF
GROUNDWATER OF KOLAR GOLD FIELDS, INDIA AND ITS USING
PHYTOREMEDIATION TECHNOLOGY” provides a detailed description
on several activities related to groundwater as well as its treatment. I
completed the work in the duration of August 2011 till May 2013. It was
my internship project that was being executed while I was pursuing
master’s degree program in the stream of Environmental Engineering
from Vellore Institute of Technology University situated in Vellore, India. I
have executed the project under supervision of Dr. Surendra Roy and Dr.
Amit B. Mahindrakar.
1.2 Background of the work
1.2.1
The location of my project was in Kolar Gold Fields, Karnataka, India. I had
to work in underground gold mining. This particular underground gold
mining was being executed for over a century at higher depth that
distributed aquifers. I checked that leaching from high amounts of the mill
tailing and then dumping at separate location could easily contaminate

the ground water. Groundwater is one of the major and the most
significant sources of supply of water within Kolar Gold Fields. My previous
study mainly revealed in the area of TDS or total dissolved solids,
hardness exceeding standards of drinking water and EC or electrical
conductivity within groundwater at KGF. Several researchers have
eventually utilized various plant species such as vetiver grass, water
lettuce as well as water hyacinth for completing treatments of wastewater
and water. Hence, I was successful in making attempts for treating the
areas of KGF’s groundwater with the help of these plant species.
1.2.2
I conducted an investigation as well as the study on groundwater’s quality
index at KGF with the proper method to treat groundwater by applying
technique of Phytoremediation was termed as the most significant
problem in this project work as objective. Other distinctive objectives of
this project work are as follows:
 To bring out the significant cause as well as effect of the KGF’s
underground gold mining for ground water.
 To reduce the subsequent contamination of KGF’s ground water
after studying overall treatment effectiveness of vetiver grass,
water lettuce and water hyacinth.
 To ensure a secured and healthier water availability.
 To remove efficiency of the water species computation regarding
various parameters of water quality like electrical conductivity, total
hardness, and total dissolved solid, magnesium and calcium
hardness and pH.
1.2.3
I have completed the project to acquire my master’s degree by research. I
also collected ground water samples before completing the analysis of
quality parameter testing. I even had to employ a biological system to
treat waste water for the project work.
1.2.4

Figure 1: Organizational Chart of the project
1.2.5
I had to perform the following responsibilities within the work:
 I had to research associated to mining procedure that was being
carried out in KGF as well as the effects of under ground mining.
 I also had to research over geographical characteristics and chemical
composite of KGF.
 I even had to collect various plant species such as vetiver grass,
water lettuce and water hyacinth.
 Next, I completed a survey over location, from which the sample of
contaminated ground water was being taken into consideration.
 I even had to create a table, which illustrated all types of sampling
locations as well as utilization of every sampling location.
 My other responsibility included preparing synthetic solution for the
growth of species.
 I even assessed growth of plan in these synthetic solutions.
 I also had to design an experimental set up for observing the total
growth of plant within synthetic solutions by adding NPK.
 The overall status of growth for plant species within KGF’s ground
water was also calculated by me.
 I had to calculate the decrease within the parameters of quality of
water in the growth period of plants.

 Next, I had to carry out overall analysis of treatment efficiency of the
various plant species.
 I even utilized removal efficiency formulas to determine the
reduction in water parameter quality for the total growth of the water
plant.
1.3 Personal Engineering Activities
1.3.1
In the first phase of the project, I have done research associated to the
mining procedure that was being carried out at KGF, Karnataka. I have
studied all types of impacts of under ground mining on water that was
present at greater depths. I even made a detailed study on the technique
of Phytoremediation to treat ground water and then reviewed all previous
papers and journals of similar project works.
1.3.2
I got the knowledge that the role of vetiver grass, water lettuce and water
hyacinth within the water treatment procedure. I even obtained relevant
information regarding the source of that plant with its water distribution.
Next, I had to choose the plant species to complete groundwater treatment
and even researched about geographical characteristics and chemical
composite of KGF.
1.3.3
I had to carry out a distinctive survey about the specific location, from
which sample of ground water is being collected. I also completed a survey
about 10 KM radium, before selecting the situations of four bore wells that
were utilized in domestic purposes. I even made a table that illustrated
about sampling locations as well as utilization of every sampling situation.
The table is as follows:
Description of the
sampling location
Reference
number
Domestic use of water
source
National Institute of
Rock Mechanics
(Champion Reefs)
L1 Excluding drinking and
cooking
Robertsonpet L2 Do
Andersonpet L3 Do
Marikuppam L4 Including drinking and
cooking
Table 1: Details of sampling locations with their uses
1.3.4