The Iris Plant
The iris plant is a perennial plant, meaning it lasts for more than two growing seasons. They grow from rhizomes, which are thick underground stems which produce roots, and they also develop from bulbs, which are underground plant storage organs. The distinctive flowers typically have three large outer petals. There are 300 species from this genus, ranging from Iris germanica, Iris albicans, Iris variegata. They range from a wide variety of colours, such as white, orange, pink, blue, and some are even multicoloured. The Iris variegata, for example, possesses yellow coloured inner tepals, whitish coloured falls, and red or purple veins. They should be cultivated in neutral or moderately acidic soils, or alkaline soil. Alkaline soils do have a high pH, which is why the neutral soils are better for cultivation. Several of the species bloom more than once in a season, making them remontant. However, these flowers predominantly enter the flowering state near summertime.
The Iris Plant to Treat Water
Wastewater has always been an issue, as there is always a risk of the contaminated water to enter local lakes and affect drinking water. There are many treatments of this water that are currently being used, and a new research is being done on how certain plants can be used to clean fishery wastewater so that the water can be reused and returned back to its original location. There are many anthropogenic impacts on the environment that create wastewater. Plenty of contaminants can seep into the water, which negatively affects both aquatic creatures and humans if not treated properly. The residue from hazardous substances can pass through the sewage system, and into the streams. The substances could range from drugs, pollutants, etc., which could ultimately lead to the population of fish being reduced. Also, fish farms have a large amount of fish who create a high amount of feces. This is bad, because it can create chemicals and other toxins caused by the algal blooms. The research that is being done is on the iris plants, and how they are capable of filtering out nutrients from the wastewater. The goal of the research was to find a plant species suitable for this task; to be able to grow in fishwater and filter the nutrients. The harvested iris plant can eventually be used for compost, or energy production. The water can be returned to ponds and other water streams after it is filtered out from the plant. This process is referred to as "rhizofiltration".
The Environment
The wastewater in the fishery industry is harmful to both aquatic life and to humans. The reason why the fishery industry is being targeted, is because the contaminants that are produced are typically organic and not of anthropogenic impact. Although there are many pollutants that enter the sewage system, the fish waste is the biggest cause of the death of the fish on fish farms. Another issue with fish farms is that the fish can escape their cages and interbreed with wild fish, which would negatively impact the genetic traits of the fish, and the chemicals in the fish could also poison other wildlife. High levels of nitrates were found to be the cause of the death of the fish. The wastes also create a barrier for the plants at the bottom of the water body, as sunlight is not able to pass through and the plants end up dying. This is why the plants used to treat the environment could save our environment. Also, the fuels can end up as a substitute for fossil fuels which damage the environment. The treatment allows our water to be reused, as the plants remove the pollutants. This is why this environmentally-safe treatment is much more preferred over other treatments that can damage our environment. However, there are some disadvantages with this treatment. Sometimes the plants can become very contaminated to use. Also, the plants are dependant on the depth of the roots, the temperature, geology, etc., so it is not a completely reliable method. Also, herbivorous animals are at risk because they could eat some of the contaminated plants.
Humans
The reason why this treatment is good for us, is because it filters out the nutrients that produce chemicals such as ammonia and methane from the wastewater in fish farms. The contaminants could harm us, as we the consumers eat this fish. This is why the treatment could save us from consuming the contaminants. However, there are a few cons of the treatment to us. For farmers, this method would be extremely time consuming as opposed to other treatments. There would need to be a large quantity of these plants to cover the entire farm. And also, the contaminants and toxins which are absorbed into the tissues can be let back into the environment, so this method is not completely reliable.
The Economy
The good thing about this research is that the costs are not as heavy as many other water treatments. For example, the Regina wastewater privatization treatment plant would cost around 224$ million and the city would be in much more debt. Also, because of the high amount of waste that is produced from the fish, many fish farmers are not able to sell off their fish. The fish farmers also have economic impacts on tourists and the real estate value of land, as people are not very fond of this wastewater. There is a huge threat to humans health, since there is a chance that the chemicals can get into the fish. Many people are at risk of being hospitalized, which would put a huge strain on the government and economy to pay for treatments. Demand for fish could certainly decrease drastically if fish farming puts a bad label on the industry. This is why it is vital for the water to be treated in a safe, non-toxic way using these floating vegetative mats, to potentially save the fish industry's contribution to our economy.
Bibliography
- Anissa. "“Ottawa: Step Away from Our Fish!” | Salmon Are Sacred." Salmon Are Sacred | - Calling the Wild Salmon People. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2013. <http://www.salmonaresacred.org/blog/%E2%80%9Cottawa-step-away-our-fish%E2%80%9D>.
- Cr, spectrophotometrically measuring the. "Wastewater treatment in the fishery industry - 2. Wastewater characterization." FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, for a world without hunger. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2013. <http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/V9922E/V9922E03.htm>.
- Durham, Sharon. "Using Floating Vegetated Mats To Treat Fishery Wastewater." ARS : Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2013. <http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/ar/archive/jan09/mats0109.htm?pf=1>.
- "Irises: How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Iris Flowers." Old Farmers Almanac: weather forecasts gardening moon calendar recipes. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2013. <http://www.almanac.com/plant/irises>.
- Kilian, Crawford. "The Tyee – BC's Fish Farm Falling out, Explained." The Tyee – Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2013. <http://thetyee.ca/News/2013/05/03/BC-Fish-Farms-Explained/>.
- "Salmon Farming Problems | Farmed And Dangerous." Farmed And Dangerous. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2013. <http://www.farmedanddangerous.org/salmon-farming-problems/>.