Plants Restore Contaminated Soil and Polluted Water

Hyperaccumuulators are plants that have the genetic ability to absorb toxins, metals and other substances, proven safety to clean up hazardous sites, and potential improve people's heath including creating organic foods that fight cancer. 1 Dr. E. Salt (Professor of plant molecular physiology at Perdue University 1) ascertains more than 350 species of plants are known to accumulate metal such as zinc, copper, nickel, manganese, cadium, and selenium in high levels for human consumption, proven essential for people missing these nutrients in their diets. "Metals are essential in nutrients in small doses, but some regions of the world lack foods that contain sufficient levels of these micronutrients (In minuscule amounts needed to enable the body to produce hormones, enzymes, and others substances essential for healthy development and growth. 2), which causes severe health problems." 3 Children and pregnant women who lack the proper micronutrients are prone to develop health problems, according to the World Health Organization. 1

Vacuoles are microscopic cells in hyperaccumulating plants provide the ability to store metal. "The vacuoles are membrane - lined structures that protect the rest of the cell from the toxic effects of the metal." Researchers believe Hyperaccummulator plants absorb metals as a defensive protection against insects or other creatures from eating them. Enormous quantity of a metal is absorbed within a hperaccummulator plant: Such as a plant species that accumulates nickel (About 300 species of plants are hyperaccumulators absorb nickel 4) 10,000 parts per million of nickel compared to normal plant might absorb 10 to 100 parts per million. 3

Scientists realize the potential research for hyperaccumulating plants, genetic tools already identified develop bioengineer foods that contain essential micronutrients and clean up contaminated heavy metal or radioactive soil (material) safely. According to Dr. Salt, a wheat plant could be bioengineer (modify or changed) absorb more zinc, thus provide source of food for people who live in zinc deficient region. 3 Also, bioengineer wheat plant source of healthy zinc supplement for proper functioning of the immune system (Against colds, flu, conjunctivitis and other infections), beneficial effects on various hormones (including the sex and thyroid hormones), and potentially enhance fertility (men and women). 5 Metal Hyperaccumulating crops of plants could absorb polluted or radioactive soil /materials. 3 The process of phytoremediation is type of bioremediation (using microorganisms such as plant) which stabilize, remove and transfer or destroy contaminated soil or groundwater. 7 After the process is completed the contaminated area is restored back to the previous natural safe environment. 6 Purdue University scientist discovered the wild mustard (Thlasp goestingense) plant (lives in the Austrian Alps 3) genes absorb or clean up polluted industrial site of nickel contamination. "It can accumulate 10,000 parts per million (ppm) of nickel compared with 10 - 100 ppm in an ordinary metal - accumulating plant." 14 Sunflowers and Indian mustard plant absorb contaminated soil containing lead. When the soil is cleared sufficiently enough from lead toxic hazard, the plants are removed and surface is safe for use. In 1999 DaimlerChyrsler auto company planted sunflowers and Indian mustard on soil contaminated with lead from mothballed auto parts forge in Detroit. A year later, sufficient amount of lead had been removed and the company could safely use the land open an axle factory. 15

Estimate cost utilizing the process of phytoremediation for agricultural remediation $25 - $100 per ton of soil and $0.6 - $6.00 per 1000 gallons of polluted water. The total cost is less than half the price of alternative methods, including removing top soil, transportation and cost to relocate contamination to a disposal site. "However, agro - remediation is not without its faults, it is a process which is dependent on the depth of roots and tolerance of the plant to the contaminant." 24

Traditionally soil contaminated with hazardous or toxic metal substance, removed by bulldozers and trucked to landfills, very expensive, labor intensive, and noisy. Reported in 2001: "Cleaning the U.S. 217,000 polluted sites with traditional techniques would cost an estimated $187 billion and require more landfills." In 2000 phytoremediation business grew into a $50 million industry and providing tremendous cost savings by removing toxic metals from soil as arsenic, lead, mercury and root - level killers. 15 According to the Environment Protection Agency, long term exposure to arsenic linked to numerous types of cancer. 25 Pteris Vittata (ladder brake or Chinese brake fern 16) discovered by biologist (at the University of Florida) as 'an arsenic - gobbling fern.' Endenspace ("Endenspace a commercial leader in the use of plants for environmental protection and renewable fuels." Located in Dulles Virginia 17) sells hydroponic version of the fern to cities for removing hazardous arsenic from drinking water. Chen Tongbin a Chinese soiling company uses pteris vitata (home - grown) clean contaminated soil of arsenic from mines. In China, arsenic has contaminated the soil of nearby 280,000 mines. 18 In January 2006, the EPA implemented new Arsenic Rule, public water provided for more than 25 people, if contaminated by arsenic must be reduced from 50 parts per billion (ppbb) to 10 ppbb. 25 Many communities or municipalities less than 3,000 people, new EPA rule reducing arsenic amount have a tremendous financial burden, however this dilemma could be resolved more cost effectively by the Pteris vittata (fern), proven successfully to soaking up arsenic. 26

Alfalfa grass and poplar trees eliminate harmful petroleum by-products (benzene, ethylbenzene and toluene compounds). 15 Also, poplar trees absorb trichlorethylene (TCE -solvent used to clean pipes and gas tanks 19), a toxic substance (High quantities of TCE found in water or air likely linked as a human carcinogen and attributed to other health problems) found in contaminated soil. 20 In Iowa, along a stream bank and a corn field, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) planted poplar trees along the stream, absorb the toxic herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers from polluting the stream and ground water. 21 In 1998 Dr. Joel G. Burken (assistant professor of civil engineering at University of Missouri - Rolla) reported in a published paper on the subject of "phytoremediation": Poplar trees remove most widely used atrazzine (Frequently applied agricultural herbicide) from soil and groundwater. 22 In 2002, EPA reported concerned exposure to altrazzine associated to cause hormone imbalance in laboratory animals and may be attributed to detrimentally affecting reproduction and developmental process. 23

Genetically altering a plant, absorb (remove) hazardous metals from soil or absorb healthy compounds for human consumption such as an anticarcinogenic potentially offers many health benefits:

Cadmium type of metal is found in coal, rocks, and mineral fertilizers. This type of metal has many uses, including metal coatings, plastics, pigments, and batteries. However, breathing cadmium in the workplace is toxic for lungs, and digesting cadmium irritates stomach leading to vomiting and diarrhea. Long term exposure metal causes kidney damage. 8 Removing cadmium from an industrial site very expensive (removal by truck to a landfill) or fencing the enclosed perimeter prevents any us of the land or limiting the use of the area for parking only. Dr. Salt suggests a safe alternative procedure: "The idea would be that you could take plants that accumulate metal - you could essentially farm the metal (Cadmium) out of the ground. Over five or 10 years, by growing crop rotations there, you could remove the metal from the site." Certainly this process phytoremediation applicable for removing other types of hazardous or unhealthy metals from surrounding areas or top soil: Application utilize transplanting the genetic genes (Dr. Salt reported to have cloned the genes from a species of plants that store metals in their tissue 1) into fast growing large plants (such as grasses), rather than using hyperaccumulating plants which are small and grow slowly. 3

Selenium is a mineral element needed in small amount for good health ("Doses of up to 400 mcg (micrograms) a day of selenium have been found to be safe, and it is highly probably the supplementing with 200 mcg a day will help us stay well." 12): According to a research study, selenium increases the body's antioxidant capacity (potent anti-carcinogen 1) preventing cancer by controlling cell damage, and enhance immune function. 9 Deficiency of selenium or depletion associated with severe gastrointestinal problems, such as Crohn's disease or with surgical removal of part of the stomach, may require selenium supplements. 11 "Quite a few promising studies published in 2004 showed the potential benefits of selenium in prevention of prostate cancer." However, too much selenium can be toxic. 9 Some studies have contradicted the health benefit taking 200 mcg of selenium per day (may risk causing diabetes). 13 Certain species of plants absorb selenium: Prince's plume, mikvetches, woody ashes, and goldenweeds. 10 Also, a plant known as Iocoweed (Astragalus bisulcatus) grown in the Western United States accumulates selenium. According to Dr. Salt, may be possible to transfer the genetic information in Salenium plants into crops consumed plentiful for human consumption, such as vegetables. Absorption of salenium in these types of plants would be a good nutritional supplement, rather than purchasing salenium supplements in health food stores: Most are sodium selenide or sodium selenate, chemical compounds the human body can't absorb very well. 1

References:

1.) Disease - Fighting Foods May BE Derived From Metal - Loving Plants - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/08/010815082019.htm

2.) Micronutrients - http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/micronutrients/en/index.html

3.) Genetic secrets of metal - eating plants uncovered - http://news.uns.purdue.edu/html4ever/010813.Salt.gene.html

4.) ...that nickel is an essential part of plant metabolism? it's a Natural Nickel Fact - http://www.nickelinstitute.org/1/2/2/3/5/index1.shtml

5.) Should I take a zinc supplement? - http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061006081923AAB4KA4

6.) Bioremediation - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioremediation

7.) Phyoremediation - http://www.cpeo.org/techtree/ttdescript/phytrem.htm

8.) ToxFAQ's for Cadmium - http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts5.html

9.) Senenium and Prostate Cancer - http://www.healthcastle.com/selenium-prostatecancer.shtml

10) Diagnosing Selenium Toxicity - http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/natres/06109.html

11.) Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Selenium - http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/selenium.asp

12.) Selenium Anticancer Supplements - http://www.femhealth.com/selenium.html

13.) Selenium SupplemehLinked With Increased Risk For Diabetes in 8 - year Study- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070709171639.htm

14.) Science News - September 2001 Designer metal - accumulating plants - http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2001/sep/science/mb_designer.html

15.) Spare the bulldozer, Let Mother Nature Clean the filthiest site - http://www.malibuwater.com/PlantsCleanUp.html

16.) Pteris vittata - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pteris_vittata

17.) edenspace - http://www.edenspace.com/

18.) Chinese fern used to clean up heavy metal - polluted soil - http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90781/90878/6413952.html

19.) Hospital Deaths - http://www.apsf.org/resource_center/newsletter/1996/summer/apsfmoss.html

20.) Fighting Pollution The Popular Way: Trees To Clean Up Indiana Site - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080110144758.htm

21.) Introduction - Phytoremediation - http://www.frtr.gov/matrix2/section4/4-33.html

22.) Poplar Trees Hold Promise For Removing Containments - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/09/980930081702.htm

23.) Atrazine Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision (IRED) Q & A's - January 2003 - http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/atrazine.htm

24.) Remedial plants: coping with polluted water - http://www.dawn.com/2007/04/23/ebr6.htm

25.) New EPA Arsenic Rule to Impact Public Water Source - http://www.cleanwatertesting.com/news_arsenic.htm

26.) Phytoremediation: The solution for arsenic contamination - http://ww.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=OnlineArticles&SubSection=Display&PUBLICATION_ID=41&ARTICLE_ID=100008