A Sustainable Approach to Clean Contaminated Land Using Terrestrial Grasses

Abstract

After the industrial revolution, due to various activities like mining, sewage disposal, pesticides, etc., an enormous increase in pollution load in the soil environment has been observed. Mitigation of soil pollution in a sustainable manner can be achieved by the help of grasses. Grasses are fast-growing plants that hold the soil surface and check the soil degradation. It increases soil microbial population and helps in the removal of various contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, polyaromatic hydrocarbon, and various other pollutants from the soil. Grasses also help in carbon sequestration and prevent desertification of land. Grasses are tolerant to several abiotic stresses because of their strong antioxidant defense system. Various grasses like vetiver, Miscanthus, switchgrass, lemongrass, etc. have been used as an ideal phytoextractant as they produce high biomass in less time and accumulate high concentration of metals mostly in root. These grasses can also be utilized for the production of biofuels. Thus, grasses help in meeting the needs of increasing energy demands without affecting food crop prices.