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Vegetated Treatment Systems for Removing Contaminants Associated with Surface Water Toxicity in Agriculture and Urban Runoff
Published on: May 15, 2017
Management practices and phytoremediation by native grasses
K V Nedunuri1, C Lowell, W Meade
1International Center for Water Resource Management, Central State University, Wilberforce, OH 45384, USA. knedunuri@centralstate.edu
International Journal of Phytoremediation
|August 26, 2010
Summary
Native prairie grasses effectively remediated petroleum-contaminated soil, reducing total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) by over 90%. This phytoremediation approach offers an ecologically sound and cost-effective solution for contaminated sites.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Ecology
- Soil Science
Background:
- Phytoremediation using native species can be more ecologically sound and cost-effective than monoculture.
- Field soils are often contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH).
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of Midwestern prairie grasses for phytoremediation of contaminated soil.
- To assess the impact of soil amendments (compost, fertilizer) and watering regimes on remediation potential.
Main Methods:
- Greenhouse study using six native Ohio grass species.
- Soil amendments included compost, fertilizer, or both; watering varied (frequent/infrequent).
- Measured chlorophyll content, and soil TPH and PAH concentrations after five months.
Main Results:
- Native grasses reduced TPH contamination by at least 87% (frequent watering) and 90% (infrequent watering) when compost and fertilizer were used.
- PAHs were reduced below 1 ppm, with exceptions for benzo(123)perylene and indeno(123-cd)pyrene.
Conclusions:
- Native Ohio grasses demonstrate significant potential for phytoremediation of TPH-contaminated soils.
- Allowing natural re-vegetation with native grasses may be an effective strategy for remediating contaminated sites.
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