Phytoremediation of methylene blue using duckweed (Lemna minor)

Azo dyes are the largest class of synthetic dyes and are utilized in several industries. Effluents containing dyes are released to the environment and pose harm to humans who might be exposed to these contaminants. This study aims to investigate the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye using duckweed (Lemna minor). L. minor (2 g) was exposed into 50 mg/L of MB dyes for 24 h. The absorbance values were measured at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 24 h with a maximum wavelength of 665 nm. The dye removal percentage and relative growth rate of L. minor during exposure to MB were observed. The removal percentage was 80.56 ± 0.44% for 24 h with a relative growth rate of 0.006/h. L. minor has potential as a phytoremediation agent to remove dyes from wastewater.