J. Weatherford et al., INVESTIGATION OF THE ABILITY OF PLANTS FOUND IN WESTERN KENTUCKY TO HYPERACCUMULATE LEAD AND ALUMINUM FROM SOILS, Microchemical journal, 56(1), 1997, pp. 93-102
Hazardous waste sites are a major problem and of heightened concern fo
r the world today. Many conventional and experimental technologies are
available for soil remediation. Unfortunately, the costs associated w
ith the majority of these methods are nearly equivalent to the benefit
s. Heavy metal contaminants are quite common and present increased dif
ficulty in soil remediation. Currently, the method most frequently use
d for the remediation of sites contaminated with heavy metals is excav
ation. This process is both expensive and impractical. A method that o
ffers significantly more benefits than conventional technology is the
use of plants to accumulate heavy metals from the soil. It is less exp
ensive and safer for humans and the environment. A group of native pla
nts found in western Kentucky have been identified as potential phytor
emediators, along with common garden plants, which have the ability to
hyperaccumulate lead and/or aluminum. Lettuce, cantaloupe, and corn a
re capable of collecting significant amounts of aluminum. Cauliflower
and tomato plants can accumulate both aluminum and lead. The hyperaccu
mulation of heavy metals by these plants could be used as one solution
to a costly environmental cleanup problem. (C) 1997 Academic Press.