Phytoremediation Research Web Links

Phytoremediation

Definitions

• Phytoremediation - "The application of plant-controlled interactions with groundwater and organic and inorganic molecules at contaminated sites to achieve site-specific remedial goals." - Landmeyer, 2011

• Phytoremediation - "Phytoremediation is the use of green plants to remove pollutants from the environment or render them harmless ... 'Green' technology uses plants to 'vacuum' heavy metals from the soil through the roots ... While acting as vacuum cleaners, the unique plants must be able to tolerate and survive high levels of heavy metals in soils." - Becker, 2000

• Phytoremediation - "Phytoremediation uses plants to clean up pollution in the environment. Plants can help clean up many kinds of pollution including metals, pesticides, explosives, and oil. The plants also help prevent wind, rain, and groundwater from carrying pollution away from sites to other areas. Phytoremediation works best at sites with low to medium amounts of pollution. Plants remove harmful chemicals from the ground when their roots take in water and nutrients from polluted soil, streams, and groundwater ... Once inside the plant, chemicals can be stored in the roots, stems, or leaves; changed into less harmful chemicals within the plant; or changed into gases that are released into the air as the plant transpires (breathes)." - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2001

• Phytoremediation - "Phytoremediation is the direct use of green plants and their associated microorganisms to stabilize or reduce contamination in soils, sludges, sediments, surface water, or ground water ... Sites with low concentrations of contaminants over large cleanup areas and at shallow depths present especially favorable conditions for phytoremediation." - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011

• Phytoremediation - "Phytoremediation is the use of vegetation for in situ treatment of contaminated soils, sediments, and water. It is best applied at sites with shallow contamination of organic, nutrient, or metal pollutants ... Phytoremediation is an emerging technology for contaminated sites that is attractive due to its low cost and versatility." - Schnoor, 1997

• Phytoremediation - "Remediation of contaminated soil in situ using vegetation ... Phytoremediation is carried out by growing plants that hyperaccumulate metals in the contaminated soil." - National Research Council, 1997

USGS Phytoremediation Information

• USGS Corecast: Phytoremediation of Contaminated Groundwater (Podcast), An interview with USGS research hydrologist Jim Landmeyer
• Can Trees Clean Up Ground Water? Phytoremediation of Trichloroethene Contaminated Ground Water at Air Force Plant 4, Fort Worth, Texas
• Phytoremediation in the Desert? Amargosa Desert Research Site, NV
• Natural Attenuation of Chlorinated Volatile Organic Compounds in Ground Water at Operable Unit 1, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Keyport, Washington
• Assessment of the Ground-Water Flow System and Potential Remediation of the Logistics Center, Fort Lewis, Washington (see Report, Fact Sheet 082-98)
• Search the Toxic Substances Hydrology Program's Bibliography for "phytoremediation"

More Phytoremediation Information

• A Citizen's Guide to Phytoremediation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Technology Innovation Office Technology Fact Sheet
• CluIn's Phytoremediation Technology Focus Page, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Technology Innovation Office
• Phytoremediation Bibliography (Search or Browse) compiled by the Remediation Technologies Development Forum's (RTDF) Phytoremediation of Organics Action Team 
• Ground-Water Remediation Technologies Analysis Center (GWRTAC) Phytoremediation Reports 
• Phytoremediation Bibliography National Agricultural Library Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (most of the citations have abstracts)
• Phytoremediation: Biological remediation of environmental problems using plants, hosted by theMissouri Botanical Garden

References

Becker, H., 2000, Phytoremediation--Using plants to clean up soils: Agricultural Research v. 48, no. 6.

Landmeyer, J.E., 2011, Introduction to phytoremediation of contaminated groundwater: 431 p.

National Research Council, 1997, Innovations in ground water and soil cleanup--From concept to commercialization: Washington, D.C., National Academies Press, 310 p.

Schnoor, J.L., 1997, Phytoremediation: Ground-Water Remediation Technologies Analysis Center Technology Evaluation Report TE-98-01.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2001, A citizen's guide to phytoremediation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Technology Innovation Office.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011, Using phytoremediation to clean up sites: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, access date June 2, 2011.

Disclaimer: The definitions on this page are provided for information purposes only, and do not indicate endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey.