Jordan Journal of Civil Engineering

Paper Detail

Removal of Heavy Metal Contamination from Soil Using Vetiver Grass

Volume 19, No. 4, 2025
Received: 2025/02/03, Accepted: 2025/06/07

Authors:

Jiji krishnan; Ammu Dileep; Rena Farzana S; Ruksana Faizal; Siyana Siyad;

Abstract:

The current study explores the phytoremediation 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 shows 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 phytoremediation species, particularly for Zn and Cu, and recommend further research into optimizing uptake through soil amendments and genetic enhancements.

Keywords:

Vetiver Grass, Phytoremediation, Heavy Metals, Bioconcentration Factor (BCF), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)