Phytoremediation as a program for decontamination of heavy-metal polluted environment

Abstract

The aim of the project is to develop a biotechnology which is able to detect and eliminate pollutant heavy metals from the environment. Elements of the system include introduction of heavy metal accumulating plants (endemic or foreign) in the target areas (polluted soil, refuse dumps, slurry); increasing the uptake of heavy metals with local stress resistant bacteria and fungi species in the plant rhizosphere; monitoring the actual metal load with transgenic cyanobacteria functioning as biosensors. The expected result is a technology ready for application, involving special combinations of soil- and heavy metal-specifi c plant and microbial species, and the technical details of application and related know-how including detoxifi cation of the fi nal product. Application of the technology decreases the rate of pollution under limiting values. The advantage of phytoremedial methods include reduced expenses and the natural restoration of nature.