A Novel Method for Phytoextraction and Phytostabilization of
Environmental Mercury Because environmental mercury poses
significant challenges to global public health, reducing mercury
levels in air, soil, and water is an international priority.
However, the widespread distribution of mercury (Hg) through the
atmosphere makes current methods of addressing Hg contamination
¿ such as excavation and replacement of soil, or pump-and-treat
techniques for water ¿ too expensive to be practical, due to the
typically large scale of remediation activity required. This
project will develop an innovative, low-cost method of
extracting Hg from soil and water, using two recently-identified
Hg-hyperaccumulating plant species, one terrestrial and one
aquatic. The Hg stored in the plant leaves and stems may then be
harvested for disposal, or allowed to remain on-site in an
extremely refractory (highly stable) chemical form that poses
negligible health risks. Preliminary studies have demonstrated
that Hg uptake by the terrestri