Metal accumulation in cattails cultured in soils flooded with artificial wastewater of varying pH and different levels of metals (Cr, Cd and Zn)

More Zn (>10,000 mg/kg dry biomass) entered plants compared to Cd and Cr (<1,000 mg/kg dry biomass). Approximately 80% of Zn from solutions with 50 mg/L Cd, 25 mg/L Cr, 250 mg/L Zn were removed by cattails. Most Cd and Cr were sorbed onto soils. Cattails exhibited relatively consistent performance in removing metals from wastewater with initial pH of 5, 7 or 9. The pH of all the solutions ended close to neutral after 4 weeks. More research is needed to further understand the influence of environmental conditions on metal uptakes in plants to improve phytoremediation efficiency.