**Utilization of Vetiver Grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) for Removal of Heavy Metals from Industrial Wastewaters**

Nualchavee Roongtanakiat,* Sutthirak Tangruangkiat and Ridthee Meesat

ABSTRACT: The experiment was conducted to investigate the ability of vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) to uptake heavy metals from industrial wastewater. Three vetiver ecotypes, Kamphaeng Phet-2, Sri Lanka and Surat Thani, were hydroponically cultured in four samples of industrial wastewater taken from a milk factory (W1), a battery manufacturing plant (W2), an electric lamp plant (W3) and an ink manufacturing facility (W4). The results indicated that the vetiver could grow well in these wastewater sources; however, the concentration of heavy metals in wastewater played an important role in vetiver growth. The vetiver grown in W1 had the best growth, while the vetiver grown in W4, highly contaminated with Mn, Fe and Cu, had the worst growth. The three vetiver ecotypes absorbed Fe>Mn>Zn>Cu>Pb, and they concentrated these metals more in roots than in shoots. The total uptake of Fe and Zn were highest in vetiver grown in W1, while the highest total uptake of Mn and Cu occurred in vetiver grown in W4. Also the vetiver grown in W2, with the highest concentration of Pb, had the highest total Pb uptake. The vetiver grown in W1 had the highest Mn, Fe, Zn and Pb removal efficiencies of 33.72, 27.63, 52.73 and 8.94 %, respectively, whereas, the vetiver grown in W4, had an efficiency of up to 87.5% Cu removal from the wastewater, although it showed a symptom of Cu toxicity on root growth. Among the three vetiver ecotypes, the Sri Lanka had the best growth and the highest heavy metal removal efficiencies.

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Department of Applied Radiation and Isotopes, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.

* Corresponding author, E-mail: fscincr@ku.ac.th

Received 6 Sep 2006, Accepted 13 Jul 2007