Phase 2: Conclusions

Lead-based paint contaminated soils were collected from Baltimore, Maryland, and San Antonio, Texas. The soil lead content was between 1000-2400 mg/kg, well above the EPA standards. Field Experiments in wooden platforms were conducted in San Antonio, Texas, and Stockton, New Jersey. Five cycles of chelating agents were added. The results showed that EDTA was more effective than EDDS. EDDS was demonstrated to be an effective environmentally safe chelating agent degrading within the soils in 15 days (Datta, Sarkar, and Andra).
Vetiver plants provided a suitable plant for phytoremediation compared to fescue grass. The total amount of lead in vetiver was 35-50 times that in fescue. Leaching samples also concluded that lead leached was higher in fescue grass platforms than vetiver (Datta, Sarkar, and Andra).
With the help of chelating agents, after 2 years, the lead concentration decreased by 25% in the vetiver platforms. It would take 6 years to reach the EPA recommended safe level at this rate. Lead from decomposing vetiver grass was elevated in TCLP leaching. The lead concentration in vetiver grass was lower than the EPA limit of 5 mg/L. Vetiver grass can be safely disposed of as non-hazardous waste based on these levels (Datta, Sarkar, and Andra).