Removal of Heavy Metal Contamination from Soil Using Vetiver Grass

The current study explores the phyto-remediation potential of vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides) for mitigating heavy metal contamination in soil through pot and column leaching experiments. In 60-day pot trials, soil samples collected at intervals of 30, 45, and 60 days revealed significant reductions in Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), and Lead (Pb), with Fe showing the highest reduction. Metal uptake analysis showed higher accumulation in vetiver roots than in leaves, with Zn (58.78 mg/kg) and Cu (38.64 mg/kg) exhibiting the highest concentrations. The BCF exceeded 1 for Zn (1.95) and Cu (1.29), indicating effective root uptake, while Pb remained below detection limits in plant tissues. The translocation factor (TF) for all metals was below 1, confirming limited movement from roots to shoots and showing vetiver’s suitability for phyto-stabilization, effectively locking metals in roots to prevent ecosystem spread. Vetiver’s root-dominant uptake and low TF highlight its suitability for phyto stabilization in industrial soils. In the column leaching experiment, Vetiver grass was compared with Triticum aestivum (wheat) as a control. The leachate from vetiver-planted columns showed markedly reduced concentrations of Zn and Cu, demonstrating vetiver’s effectiveness in promoting downward metal mobility and stabilizing contaminated soils. These results highlight the potential of vetiver grass as an effective phyto-remediation species, particularly for Zn and Cu, and recommend further research into optimizing uptake through soil amendments and genetic enhancements. Keywords: Vetiver grass, Phyto-remediation, Heavy metals, Bio-concentration factor (BCF), Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).