Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision		Previous revision
writing:phytoremediation [2026/02/20 01:07] – [Finding Phytoremediation Options That Fit Your Story and Setting] JacobCoffinWriteswriting:phytoremediation [2026/02/20 14:59] (current) – [What is Phytoremediation] JacobCoffinWrites
Line 5: Line 5:
 ==== What is Phytoremediation ==== ==== What is Phytoremediation ====
  
-Phytoremediation is the practice of using living plants to clean soil, air and water contaminated with hazardous substances. Plants can help clean up many types of contaminants including heavy metals, pesticides, explosives, and oil. However, they work best where contaminant levels are low because high concentrations may limit plant growth and take too long to clean up. Plants can also help prevent wind, rain, and groundwater flow from carrying contaminants away from the site to surrounding areas or deeper underground.+Phytoremediation is the practice of using living plants to clean soil, air and water by absorbing or breaking down hazardous contaminants.  
 + 
 + 
 + 
 +Plants can help clean up many types of contaminants including heavy metals, pesticides, explosives, and oil. However, they work best where contaminant levels are low because high concentrations may limit plant growth and take too long to clean up. Plants can also help prevent wind, rain, and groundwater flow from carrying contaminants away from the site to surrounding areas or deeper underground.
  
 At its core principle, phytoremediation focuses on the ability of some plants to uniquely tolerate environmental pollutants. At its core principle, phytoremediation focuses on the ability of some plants to uniquely tolerate environmental pollutants.
Line 129: Line 133:
 There are so many plants, contaminants of concerns, and varying ways the two interact that it really does need some review There are so many plants, contaminants of concerns, and varying ways the two interact that it really does need some review
  
 +
 +
 +==== General details which might be useful ====
 +
 +**Bioremediation** - [[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666821122001193|This paper]] provides a detailed description and diagrams of the process of introducing bioremediation bacteria to contaminated aquifers. It includes details on the arrangement of wells for testing and remediation. The paper is about dechlorinators but it seems likely that other groundwater bioremediation projects might follow similar steps. 
 +  - Test the groundwater to determine the level of contamination and extent of the plume
 +  - Test for the presence of suitable bioremediation bacteria (and the symbiotic bacteria which enable them). Using native bacteria already present in the groundwater is preferred. Bacteria can also be invasive.
 +      * If they are present, test to determine what, if any, chemical nutrients/additives/remediation would help them to thrive and work quickly
 +      * Biostimulation - pump the necessary solution into the aquifer
 +  - If the concentration of contaminants is too high, or the right mix of dechlorinators aren’t present, they would try bioaugmentation - injecting pre-grown dechlorinator cultures along with the necessary substrate. 
 +
 +[[https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-04/documents/engappinsitbio.pdf|This older report]] provides some similar information.
 ====Resources ==== ====Resources ====
  
Line 136: Line 152:
       * https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-10/documents/sector_m_autosalvage.pdf       * https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-10/documents/sector_m_autosalvage.pdf
       * https://web.archive.org/web/20230309211038/https://eeuroparts.com/blog/how-toxic-are-the-chemicals-in-your-car/       * https://web.archive.org/web/20230309211038/https://eeuroparts.com/blog/how-toxic-are-the-chemicals-in-your-car/
 +  * [[https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/940082TP.txt?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=1995%20Thru%201999&Docs=&Query=%28%28deep%20rooting%29%20or%20%28deep%20rooting%29%29%20OR%20FNAME%3D%22940082TP.txt%22%20AND%20FNAME%3D%22940082TP.txt%22&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&UseQField=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D%3A%5CZYFILES%5CINDEX%20DATA%5C95THRU99%5CTXT%5C00000042%5C940082TP.txt&User=ANONYMOUS&Password=anonymous&SortMethod=h%7C-&MaximumDocuments=1&FuzzyDegree=0&ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&Display=hpfr&DefSeekPage=&SearchBack=ZyActionL&Back=ZyActionS&BackDesc=Results%20page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=34&SeekPage=f|This paper]] has some details on deep rooting poplar trees. 
 ==== Other concerns ==== ==== Other concerns ====