Vetiver grass is capable of removing TNT from soil in the presence of urea.
The high affinity of vetiver grass for 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene (TNT) and the catalytic effectiveness of urea in enhancing plant uptake of TNT in hydroponic media we earlier demonstrated were further illustrated in this soil-pot-experiment. Complete removal of TNT in urea-treated soil was accomplished by vetiver at the low initial soil-TNT concentration (40 mg kg(-1)), masking the effect of urea. Doubling the initial TNT concentration (80 mg kg(-1)) significantly (p<0.002) increased TNT removal by vetiver, in the presence of urea. Without vetiver grass, no significant (p=0.475) change in the soil-TNT concentrations was observed over a period of 48 days, suggesting that natural attenuation of soil TNT could not explain the documented TNT disappearance from soil.
Das
Padmini
P
Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair State University, One Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07104, USA.
Datta
Rupali
R
Makris
Konstantinos C
KC
Sarkar
Dibyendu
D
D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D049930:Chrysopogon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014303:Trinitrotoluene / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014508:Urea / Q000032:analysis
D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014303:Trinitrotoluene; D014508:Urea