Effect of Azotobacter Inoculation and Cow Manure Amendment on Lead (Pb) Phytoremediation in Gold Mine Tailings by Vetiver Grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides L.)

DOI: 10.22161/ijeab.114.24

Abstract:
Gold mine tailings generally have low fertility and contain lead (Pb), a heavy metal that may inhibit plant growth. Phytoremediation using vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides L.) offers a simple and effective strategy for improving tailings media and reducing Pb concentrations. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the combination of Azotobacter inoculation and ameliorant application on Pb reduction and to determine the best combination for enhancing the phytoremediation capacity of vetiver grass in gold mine tailings. The experiment was arranged in a Randomized Block Design with two factors and three replications. The first factor was the type of Azotobacter inoculation (without Azotobacter, Azotobacter vinelandii, indigenous Azotobacter tailing-1, indigenous Azotobacter tailing-2, and an Azotobacter consortium). The second factor was the dose of cattle manure (0 t ha⁻¹, 10 t ha⁻¹, and 20 t ha⁻¹). The results showed a significant interaction between the Azotobacter type and cattle manure rate on the efficiency of Pb reduction in tailings. The combination of Azotobacter vinelandii with 10 t ha⁻¹ cattle manure and the Azotobacter consortium with 20 t ha⁻¹ cattle manure were the most effective treatments, achieving up to 61,55% reduction in tailing Pb concentration.

Keywords:
indigenous Azotobacter, Azotobacter vinelandii, cattle manure, reduction efficiency

Article Info:
Received: 23 Jun 2026; Received in revised form: 19 Jul 2026; Accepted: 26 Jul 2026; Available online: 02 Aug 2026

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