NSF PR 02-13 - February 13, 2002
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NSF/EPA Team Up on Grants to Treat Pollution with
Plants
Seven universities are receiving grants totaling nearly
$2.22 million to study the plant-based phytoremediation
of soils contaminated by heavy metals or organic chemicals.
The joint initiative of the National Science Foundation
(NSF) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
seeks to foster innovative scientific solutions to
the worldwide problem of contaminated soil.
Phytoremediation uses plants to degrade, remove or
stabilize toxic compounds from contaminated soil and
water. The serious problem of soil contaminated with
heavy metals or organic chemicals affects human health,
ecosystem functions and agriculture. Experts estimate
the cost of soil cleanup in the United States in the
billions of dollars. Researchers believe that phytoremediation
could provide an extremely cost-effective and much
less disruptive cleanup process when compared to traditional
cleanup techniques, such as transporting massive amounts
of contaminated soil to hazardous waste landfills.
NSF is funding three multidisciplinary research projects
that will investigate the genetic components of phytoremediation
of heavy metals in soils. One project will determine
the suite of genes responsible for heavy-metal hyperaccumulation
in Thlaspi caerulescens. A second will perform a search
of the genomes of brassicaceous plants for genes involved
in metal hyper accumulation. A third will study the
mechanisms of arsenic uptake, trans- location, distribution
and detoxification by the Brake fern, a common fern
in the southeastern U.S. and California. The research
awards come from NSF's Integrative Plant Biology and
Environmental Engineering/Environmental Technology
Programs.
EPA research projects are diverse and designed to explain
the mechanisms for phytoremediation of organic chemicals
including polyaromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated
bi-phenyls, and chlorinated pesticides. Knowledge
will be unearthed to better understand three scientific
problems: the microbial ecology of chemical-degrading
bacteria that live in the root systems of monoterpene-producing
plants; the role of chemicals produced by roots that
aid in making the organic chemicals available for
uptake and metabolism by plants; and the role of plant-transported
oxygen for degradation of organic contaminants in
waterlogged, low-oxygen salt marsh sediments or soils.
The grants for these studies were awarded through
EPA's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program.
The multi-agency funding for this initiative - made
through the Joint Program on Phytoremediation - also
includes the Office of Naval Research and the DOD/DOE/EPA
Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program.
Attachment: Summary of
Awards
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Attachment
Summary of NSF/EPA Awards for Phytoremediation
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University
- Principal Investigator: Leon V. Kochian - "The Molecular
Basis for Heavy Metal Accumulation and Tolerance in
the Hyperaccumulating Plant Species, Thlaspi caerulescens."
The research will lead to identifying hyperaccumulation
genes, which could be used to develop transgenic plants
that are both metal hyperaccumulators and produce
high shoot biomass, and thus well suited for the phytoremediation
of metal contaminated soils. A focus will be the metal
transporter genes involved in metal accumulation and
tolerance, as well as genes involved in the production
of compounds that bind and detoxify zinc and cadmium
in plant cells.
Purdue University - Principal Investigator:
David E. Salt "Genome- Wide Hunt For Metal Hyperaccumulation
Genes." Although known metal hyperaccumu- lators are
not well suited for phytoremediation because of their
small size and slow growth, they are a unique source
of genes for this process. Over 25 percent of the
known hyperaccumulator species are from the Brassicaceae
family. Researchers will collect metal hyperaccumulating
Brassicaceae from around the world and identify the
important hyperaccumulation genes using three complementary
molecular approaches. This approach will identify
genes that can be used for the future development
of plants for phytoremediation.
Northwestern University - Principal Investigator:
Jean-Francois Gaillard and The University of Florida,
Principal Investigators: Lena Q. Ma lqma, Yong Cai,
David M. Sylvia and Kelsey R. Downum "Understanding
and Enhancement of Arsenic Hyperaccumulation by a
Fern Plant." This research will elucidate the mechanisms
of arsenic uptake, translocation, distribution and
detoxification by Brake fern. Arsenic hyperaccumulation
characteristics of Brake fern growing in soils of
different arsenic concentrations will be investigated.
The research will examine the impacts of phosphorus
and calcium on arsenic accumulation, as well as the
beneficial effects of mycorrhizal fungi for enhancing
arsenic accumulation.
For more information on the NSF grants, contact:
Andrea Dietrich, (703-292-8070) or see: http://www.nsf.gov/bio/ibn/ibndevelop.htm
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
University of California at Riverside - Principal
Investigators: David E. Crowley, James Borneman -
"Evaluation of Monoterpene Producing Plants for Phytoremediation
of PCB and PAH Contaminated Soils." The objective
of this research is to evaluate plant species that
produce a specific group of chemicals (monoterpenes)
for use in phytoremediation of PCBs and PAHs. The
research will also investigate the ecology of chemical-degrading
bacteria that live in the root systems of monoterpene-producing
plants. Results of this research will provide information
on the mechanisms by which plants influence the growth
of PCB- and PAH degrading bacteria in plant root systems.
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and
The University of Connecticut - Principal Investigator:
Jason C. White "Mechanistic Role of Plant Root Exudates
in the Phytoremediation of Persistent Organic Pollutants."
This research will investigate the role of plant roots
in the phytoremediation of persistent organic pollutants
in soil. Preliminary data indicate that the uptake
of two organic pollutants (p,p'-DDE, chlordane) from
soil into roots is increased in selected plant species.
This research will determine whether chemicals produced
by roots have the potential to increase the bioavailability
of certain contaminants for plant uptake and metabolism.
Washington State University - Principal Investigator:
Raymond Lee - "Physiological Mechanisms of Estuarine
Sediment Oxidation by Spartina Cordgrasses." Cordgrasses
of the genus Spartina will be investigated for their
potential use as a phytoremediation tool in marine
and estuarine sediments. Spartina grasses are adapted
to saline, waterlogged sediments and exhibit vigorous
growth, forming dense stands in a variety of intertidal
environments. This research will determine whether
the ability of these plants to transport oxygen from
the atmosphere to their below-ground root systems
has the potential to enhance microbial degradation
of organic pollutants, which can be limited by oxygen
availability in anoxic, waterlogged soils.
For more information on the EPA grants, contact:
Estella Waldman, (202-564-6836) or see: http://www.epa.gov/ncerqa
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