Plant Pulls Cadmium from Soil

Alpine pennycress (Thlaspi caerulescens) has a remarkable ability to pull cadmium from the soil and concentrate it in its shoots. Researchers hope to develop this plant as a tool to help clean contaminated soils. Cadmium contamination is a worldwide problem with crops in some areas surpassing recommended safety levels.

Currently remediation of contaminated soils involves removal and replacement, a very expensive procedure. Pennycress could be used to extract the cadmium from the soil and then disposed of for a fraction of the cost. It is thought that most contaminated soils could be safe after ten years using this method, called phytoextraction. Using traditional plant breeding methods, scientist hope to develop a super-phytoextractor with high yields and a strong ability to concentrate cadmium.

Link: Dainty Plant Outpowers Cadmium-Contaminated Soils from the Agricultural Research Services Magazine

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 4:46 PM on November 23, 2004