The vetiver system for prevention and treatment of contaminated water and land

In the course of researching the application of its extraordinary attributes to soil and water conservation, vetiver was also found to possess unique physiological and morphological characteristics particularly well suited to environmental protection, particularly in the prevention and treatment of contaminated water and land. These remarkable characteristics include a high level of tolerance to elevated and even toxic levels of salinity, acidity, alkalinity, sodicity, and a whole range of heavy metals and agrochemicals, as well as exceptional ability to absorb and tolerate elevated levels of nutrients to consume large quantities of water in the process of producing a massive growth under wet conditions. Applying the Vetiver System (VS) to wastewater treatment is an innovative phytoremediation technology that has tremendous potential. VS is a natural, green, simple, practicable and cost-effective solution. Most importantly, vetiver's leaf by-product offers a range of uses from handicrafts, animal feeds, thatches, mulch and fuel, to name just a few.