Somsanguan Chantachon. Phytoextraction and accumulation of lead from contaminated soil by vetiver grass . Doctoral Degree(Biology). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2003.
Phytoextraction and accumulation of lead from contaminated soil by vetiver grass
Abstract:
A soil-culture study was conducted to investigate the phytoextraction of lead
(Pb) in two species of vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides and V. nemoralis) irrigated
with increasing levels of Pb (NO3)2 (5, 7, 9 and 11 g/L) for 12 weeks. In laboratory,
the removal of lead from soil was correlated with lead accumulation by roots and
shoots of both species of vetiver grass. High concentration of lead (9-11 g/L) resulted
in decrease in growth, total chlorophyll content and biomass of V. zizanioides while
V. nemoralis died after one week of application. Toxicity symptoms (e.g. burning leaf
margins, shoots dying back) occurred in vetiver grass in high concentrations of lead.
Based on the data, V. zizanioides best tolerated and accumulated the greatest amount
of lead.
A simulated field experiment was conducted to examine the usefulness of
vetiver grass in removing lead from contaminated soil. The vetiver grass, V.
zizanioides and V. nemoralis were grown in soil contaminated with Pb (NO3)2 (5, 7,
9,and 11 g/L) for 3 months. The removal of lead from soil was correlated with lead
accumulation by roots and shoots of both species of grasses. The grass roots took up
more lead than the shoots. V. zizanioides could uptake lead from soil greater than V.
nemoralis. The effects of lead on relative growth of V. zizanioides and V. nemoralis
showed that both species attained similar height and did not differ significantly from
the controls.
The effects of lead on histology and ultrastructure of leaf and root were studied
using light and transmission electron microscopes, respectively. At the light
microscopic level, the histology of leaf and root of treated plants was similar to that
of control plants. However, at the ultrastructural level, the treated plants showed
swelling of chloroplasts and destruction of chloroplast membrane and grana in
mesophyll cells. In addition, a decrease of mitochondria and increase of lipid droplets
were observed in root parenchyma cells of both vetiver species.
The vetiver system offers a potential avenue for soil phytoremediation. It may
be a very cost effective, environmental friendly and practical tool for the control and
attenuation of heavy metal pollution when appropriately applied.