Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECTS OF EDTA AND NTA ON SOLUBILITY OF LEAD AND CADMIUM AND THEIR UPTAKE BY VETIVER GRASS

Shabana, Jitendra Kumar, Shikha Saxena, Alok Srivastava and V.P. Singh

Abstract

Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides L. Nash) has strong and dense root system and is a potential phytoremediator plant since it can tolerate a wide range of climatic conditions and grow well in soils contaminated with heavy metals. Tillers of same length were transplanted from field into the pots. Three tillers in four bunches were transplanted in each pot. After the establishment of tillers pots were artificially treated with different doses of Pb (100, 200, 300 and 500 mg Kg-1 soil) and Cd (30, 50, 100 and 200 mg Kg-1 soil) at 10th, 15th, 25th and 30th day. The growth parameters (tillers numbers, tillers height, fresh weight dry weight and chlorophyll content) and heavy metals accumulation in different parts (root and shoot) of Vetiver grass were studied. Pots were also treated with different doses of EDTA (1, 3, 5 and 10 mmol Kg-1 soil) and NTA (3, 5, 10 and 20 mmol kg-1 soil) individually before 14 days from harvesting the crop and the heavy metals accumulation in different parts of (root and shoot) of Vetiver grass through A.A.S. were studied again. Results showed that heavy metals accumulation significantly increased with increase in concentrations of heavy metals with and without chelation but growth parameters decreases. The chelation capacity of EDTA was found more than that of NTA. It was also found that the accumulation of Pb was comparatively more than that of Cd in both root and shoot and accumulation of both the metals (Pb and Cd) was more in root than shoot. Results of soil analysis showed that degradation of NTA was more than that of EDTA. Hence NTA was found safer than that of EDTA.