Role of lead speciation in soil and plant in phytoremediation of contaminated soils using vetiver grass

GEOC 130

Rupali Datta, rupali.datta@utsa.edu1, Dibyendu Sarkar, dibyendu.sarkar@utsa.edu1, Syam Sundar Andra, syamsundar.andra@utsa.edu1, and Stephan Bach, stephen.bach@utsa.edu2. (1) Environmental Geochemistry Laboratory, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, (2) Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249
Lead (Pb) based paints pose a serious health problem to people living in houses constructed prior to 1978, particularly children. An environment-friendly and inexpensive in situ technology for removal of lead in a residential setting is phytoremediation. However, effective phytoremediation of lead-contaminated soils is an immensely complex task whose success depends on a multitude of factors including the nature and extent of metal contamination, soil chemistry, metal availability, plant genetics and biochemistry. A comprehensive greenhouse-based study was conducted to develop a chemically catalyzed phytoremediation model for lead-contamianted soils using vetiver grass. Our studies indicate that (1) vetiver grass is a hyperaccumulator of lead, and is effective in remediating lead-contaminated soils, in conjunction with a biodegradable chelating agent (2) plant available Pb fraction is controlled by soil properties, particularly soil pH and soil organic matter (3) the most probable mechanism of Pb detoxification in vetiver is the formation of Pb-Phytochelatin complexes.
 

Speciation of Arsenic and Other Trace Elements in Soils and Sediments
1:25 PM-5:10 PM, Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Rm. 211, Oral

Division of Geochemistry

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008