Management of metal loaded fly ash by Pteridophytes : An overview

Abstract

<span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Roman;mso-bidi-language:HI">In India majority of thermal power plants are coal based, in which electricity is generated by coal-combustion. It generates huge quantity of fly ash which becomes a major source of residue and pollution. Today, about 300 million tons fly ash is generated annually by 85 thermal power units in India. The storage and utilization of these huge quantities of fly ash becomes a major challenge. Besides, physico-chemical properties of fly ash have demonstrated to contain significant amount of toxic elements also, posing a threat to receiving environment. In the present article, management of such sites with the development of a vegetation cover of metal hyperaccumulator ferns may prove to be promising ecofriendly, cost effective and simple agro-technology to handle this menace.

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