BioTech Encyclopedia

Trees for contaminated and radioactive sites (poplar, forest irrigation): uses in research

Also: hybrid poplar, TCE phytoremediation, tritium phytoremediation, Savannah River

Trees that take up contaminants. Poplars can break down some organic pollutants such as TCE; for radioactive elements, plants only take up or move them (for example tritium transpired as water vapour) and do not destroy radioactivity.

Known properties: Trees for contaminated and radioactive sites (poplar, forest irrigation)

Only what the cited papers report.

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Timeline

  1. 1997 Poplars take up and degrade TCE
  2. 2005 Tritium irrigation of forest at Savannah River
  3. 2024 Cesium and strontium phytoremediation review

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Cesium and strontium phytoremediation review

Ammar and colleagues reviewed sources, mechanisms and methods for phytoremediation of soil contaminated with radioactive cesium and strontium.

As reported in: Ammar, Nouira, El Mouridi et al. (2024). Recent trends in the phytoremediation of radionuclide contamination of soil by cesium and strontium: Sources, mechanisms and methods: A comprehensive review. Chemosphere. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142273

Abstract only

environment

lab environment 1997

Poplars take up and degrade TCE

Newman and colleagues found hybrid poplars took up trichloroethylene (TCE) and degraded it to trichloroethanol, trichloroacetic acid and dichloroacetic acid, and also transpired measurable TCE.

As reported in: Newman, Strand, Choe et al. (1997). Uptake and Biotransformation of Trichloroethylene by Hybrid Poplars. Environmental Science & Technology. doi:10.1021/es960564w

Abstract only

lab environment 2005

Tritium irrigation of forest at Savannah River

Rebel and colleagues modelled a Savannah River Site project where tritium-contaminated seep water is used to irrigate forest so trees transpire the tritium, keeping it out of surface waters, and compared irrigation strategies by efficiency (tritium transpired/applied).

As reported in: Rebel, Riha, Seaman et al. (2005). The use of dynamic modeling in assessing tritium phytoremediation. Environmental Geosciences. doi:10.1306/eg.06210404018

Abstract only

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