A Review on Bioremediation Potential of Vetiver Grass

Abstract

Wastes generation and contamination are increasing drastically due to industrial activities and population growth. Many approaches are in place such as chemical and physical treatments to tackle these wastes and contamination. However, other means of remediation are necessary to overcome the challenges in wastes treatment. In the last decades, research in bioremediation has increased dramatically owing to its potential application in cleaning up all kinds of waste from soil and other contaminated areas. Numerous plants and microorganisms prove to be efficient for bioremediation for various kinds of wastes such as metal, nuclear, mineral, fuels, and chemicals. Among them, vetiver grass could play pivotal role as bioremediation agent for numerous waste categories. Originally being a native from India, vetiver perennial grass has spread to the tropical and subtropical parts of the world due to its application in various fields, such as soil conservation, fragrance, energy fuel, handcrafts, hedge formation, medicinal preparations, and carbon sequestration. The unique property of vetiver plant is their ability to grow in harsh conditions and absorb contaminants leading to remediation. Therefore, several research studies reported on bioremediation potential of vetiver grass among other potential application. In this study, a review of these studies is carried out to highlight the benefits and the limitation of vetiver in bioremediation across industries and to provide some insights on how to incorporate vetiver grass in industries, municipalities, and households in the current and future wastes remediation programs that demand a sustainable approach.