This article covers known hyperaccumulators, accumulators or species tolerant to the following: Aluminium (Al), Silver (Ag), Arsenic (As), Beryllium (Be), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Mercury (Hg), Molybdenum (Mo), Naphthalene, Lead (Pb), Selenium (Se) and Zinc (Zn).
See also:
Contaminant | Accumulation rates (in mg/kg dry weight) | Binomial name | English name | H-Hyperaccumulator or A-Accumulator P-Precipitator T-Tolerant | Notes | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Al | A- | Agrostis castellana | highland bentgrass | As(A), Mn(A), Pb(A), Zn(A) | Origin: Portugal. | [1] : 898 |
Al | 1000 | Hordeum vulgare | Barley | 25 records of plants. | [1] : 891 [2] | |
Al | Hydrangea spp. | Hydrangea (a.k.a. Hortensia) | ||||
Al | Aluminium concentrations in young leaves, mature leaves, old leaves, and roots were found to be 8.0, 9.2, 14.4, and 10.1 mg g1, respectively. [3] | Melastoma malabathricum L. | Blue Tongue, or Native Lassiandra | P competes with Al and reduces uptake. [4] | ||
Al | Solidago hispida (Solidago canadensis L.) | Hairy Goldenrod | Origin Canada. | [1] : 891 [2] | ||
Al | 100 | Vicia faba | Horse Bean | [1] : 891 [2] | ||
Ag | 10-1200 | Salix miyabeana | Willow | Ag(T) | Seemed able to adapt to high AgNO3 concentrations on a long timeline | [5] |
Ag | Brassica napus | Rapeseed plant | Cr, Hg, Pb, Se, Zn | Phytoextraction | [1] : 19 [6] | |
Ag | Salix spp. | Osier spp. | Cr, Hg, Se, petroleum hydrocarbures, organic solvents, MTBE, TCE and by-products; [1] : 19 Cd, Pb, U, Zn (S. viminalix); [7] Potassium ferrocyanide (S. babylonica L.) [8] | Phytoextraction. Perchlorate (wetland halophytes) | [1] : 19 | |
Ag | Amanita strobiliformis | European Pine Cone Lepidella | Ag(H) | Macrofungi, Basidiomycete. Known from Europe, prefers calcareous areas | [9] | |
Ag | 10-1200 | Brassica juncea | Indian Mustard | Ag(H) | Can form alloys of silver-gold-copper | [10] |
As | 100 | Agrostis capillaris L. | Common Bent Grass, Browntop. (= A. tenuris) | Al(A), Mn(A), Pb(A), Zn(A) | [1] : 891 | |
As | H- | Agrostis castellana | Highland Bent Grass | Al(A), Mn(A), Pb(A), Zn(A) | Origin Portugal. | [1] : 898 |
As | 1000 | Agrostis tenerrima Trin. | Colonial bentgrass | 4 records of plants | [1] : 891 [11] | |
As | 2-1300 | Cyanoboletus pulverulentus | Ink Stain Bolete | contains dimethylarsinic acid | Europe | [12] |
As | 27,000 (fronds) [13] | Pteris vittata L. | Ladder brake fern or Chinese brake fern | 26% of As in the soil removed after 20 weeks' plantation, about 90% As accumulated in fronds. [14] | Root extracts reduce arsenate to arsenite. [15] | |
As | 100-7000 | Sarcosphaera coronaria | pink crown, violet crown-cup, or violet star cup | As(H) | Ectomycorrhizal ascomycete, known from Europe | [16] [17] |
Be | No reports found for accumulation | [1] : 891 | ||||
Cr | Azolla spp. | mosquito fern, duckweed fern, fairy moss, water fern | [1] : 891 [18] | |||
Cr | H- | Bacopa monnieri | Smooth Water Hyssop, Water hyssop, Brahmi, Thyme-leafed gratiola | Cd(H), Cu(H), Hg(A), Pb(A) | Origin India. Aquatic emergent species. | [1] : 898 [19] |
Cr | Brassica juncea L. | Indian mustard | Cd(A), Cr(A), Cu(H), Ni(H), Pb(H), Pb(P), U(A), Zn(H) | Cultivated in agriculture. | [1] : 19, 898 [20] | |
Cr | Brassica napus | Rapeseed plant | Ag, Hg, Pb, Se, Zn | Phytoextraction | [6] [1] : 19 | |
Cr | A- | Vallisneria americana | Tape Grass | Cd(H), Pb(H) | Native to Europe and North Africa. Widely cultivated in the aquarium trade. | [1] : 898 |
Cr | 1000 | Dicoma niccolifera | 35 records of plants | [1] : 891 | ||
Cr | roots naturally absorb pollutants, some organic compounds believed to be carcinogenic, [21] in concentrations 10,000 times that in the surrounding water. [22] | Eichhornia crassipes | Water Hyacinth | Cd(H), Cu(A), Hg(H), [21] Pb(H), [21] Zn(A). Also Cs, Sr, U, [21] [23] and pesticides. [24] | Pantropical/Subtropical. Plants sprayed with 2,4-D may accumulate lethal doses of nitrates. [25] 'The troublesome weed' – hence an excellent source of bioenergy. [21] | [1] : 898 |
Cr | Helianthus annuus | Sunflower | Phytoextraction and rhizofiltration | [1] : 19, 898 | ||
Cr | A- | Hydrilla verticillata | Hydrilla | Cd(H), Hg(H), Pb(H) | [1] : 898 | |
Cr | Medicago sativa | Alfalfa | [1] : 891 [26] | |||
Cr | Pistia stratiotes | Water lettuce | Cd(T), Hg(H), Cr(H), Cu(T) | [1] : 891, 898 [27] | ||
Cr | Salix spp. | Osier spp. | Ag, Hg, Se, petroleum hydrocarbures, organic solvents, MTBE, TCE and by-products; [1] : 19 Cd, Pb, U, Zn (S. viminalix); [7] Potassium ferrocyanide (S. babylonica L.) [8] | Phytoextraction. Perchlorate (wetland halophytes) | [1] : 19 | |
Cr | Salvinia molesta | Kariba weeds or water ferns | Cr(H), Ni(H), Pb(H), Zn(A) | [1] : 891, 898 [28] | ||
Cr | Spirodela polyrhiza | Giant Duckweed | Cd(H), Ni(H), Pb(H), Zn(A) | Native to North America. | [1] : 891, 898 [28] | |
Cr | 100 | Jamesbrittenia fodina Hilliard Sutera fodina Wild | [1] : 891 [29] [30] | |||
Cr | A- | Thlaspi caerulescens | Alpine Pennycress, Alpine Pennygrass | Cd(H), Co(H), Cu(H), Mo, Ni(H), Pb(H), Zn(H) | Phytoextraction. T. caerulescens may acidify its rhizosphere, which would affect metal uptake by increasing available metals [31] | [1] : 19, 891, 898 [32] [33] [34] |
Cu | 9000 | Aeollanthus biformifolius | [35] | |||
Cu | Athyrium yokoscense | (Japanese false spleenwort?) | Cd(A), Pb(H), Zn(H) | Origin Japan. | [1] : 898 | |
Cu | A- | Azolla filiculoides | Pacific mosquitofern | Ni(A), Pb(A), Mn(A) | Origin Africa. Floating plant. | [1] : 898 |
Cu | H- | Bacopa monnieri | Smooth Water Hyssop, Water hyssop, Brahmi, Thyme-leafed gratiola | Cd(H), Cr(H), Hg(A), Pb(A) | Origin India. Aquatic emergent species. | [1] : 898 [19] |
Cu | Brassica juncea L. | Indian mustard | Cd(A), Cr(A), Cu(H), Ni(H), Pb(H), Pb(P), U(A), Zn(H) | cultivated | [1] : 19, 898 [20] | |
Cu | H- | Vallisneria americana | Tape Grass | Cd(H), Cr(A), Pb(H) | Native to Europe and North Africa. Widely cultivated in the aquarium trade. | [1] : 898 |
Cu | Eichhornia crassipes | Water Hyacinth | Cd(H), Cr(A), Hg(H), Pb(H), Zn(A), Also Cs, Sr, U, [23] and pesticides. [24] | Pantropical/Subtropical, 'the troublesome weed'. | [1] : 898 | |
Cu | 1000 | Haumaniastrum robertii ( Lamiaceae ) | Copper flower | 27 records of plants. Origin Africa. This species' phanerogam has the highest cobalt content. Its distribution could be governed by cobalt rather than copper. [36] | [1] : 891 [33] | |
Cu | Helianthus annuus | Sunflower | Phytoextraction with rhizofiltration | [1] : 898 [33] | ||
Cu | 1000 | Larrea tridentata | Creosote Bush | 67 records of plants. Origin U.S. | [1] : 891 [33] | |
Cu | H- | Lemna minor | Duckweed | Pb(H), Cd(H), Zn(A) | Native to North America and widespread worldwide. | [1] : 898 |
Cu | Ocimum centraliafricanum | Copper plant | Cu(T), Ni(T) | Origin Southern Africa | [37] | |
Cu | T- | Pistia stratiotes | Water Lettuce | Cd(T), Hg(H), Cr(H) | Pantropical. Origin South U.S.A. Aquatic herb. | [1] : 898 |
Cu | Thlaspi caerulescens | Alpine pennycress, Alpine Pennycress, Alpine Pennygrass | Cd(H), Cr(A), Co(H), Mo, Ni(H), Pb(H), Zn(H) | Phytoextraction. Cu noticeably limits its growth. [34] | [1] : 19, 891, 898 [31] [32] [33] [34] | |
Mn | A- | Agrostis castellana | Highland Bent Grass | Al(A), As(A), Pb(A), Zn(A) | Origin Portugal. | [1] : 898 |
Mn | Azolla filiculoides | Pacific mosquitofern | Cu(A), Ni(A), Pb(A) | Origin Africa. Floating plant. | [1] : 898 | |
Mn | Brassica juncea L. | Indian mustard | [1] : 19 [20] | |||
Mn | 23,000 (maximum) 11,000 (average) leaf | Chengiopanax sciadophylloides (Franch. & Sav.) C.B.Shang & J.Y.Huang | koshiabura | Origin Japan. Forest tree. | [38] | |
Mn | Helianthus annuus | Sunflower | Phytoextraction and rhizofiltration | [1] : 19 | ||
Mn | 1000 | Macadamia neurophylla (now Virotia neurophylla (Guillaumin) P. H. Weston & A. R. Mast) | 28 records of plants | [1] : 891 [39] | ||
Mn | 200 | [1] : 891 | ||||
Hg | A- | Bacopa monnieri | Smooth Water Hyssop, Water hyssop, Brahmi, Thyme-leafed gratiola | Cd(H), Cr(H), Cu(H), Hg(A), Pb(A) | Origin India. Aquatic emergent species. | [1] : 898 [19] |
Hg | Brassica napus | Rapeseed plant | Ag, Cr, Pb, Se, Zn | Phytoextraction | [1] : 19 [6] | |
Hg | Eichhornia crassipes | Water Hyacinth | Cd(H), Cr(A), Cu(A), Pb(H), Zn(A). Also Cs, Sr, U, [23] and pesticides. [24] | Pantropical/Subtropical, 'the troublesome weed'. | [1] : 898 | |
Hg | H- | Hydrilla verticillata | Hydrilla | Cd(H), Cr(A), Pb(H) | [1] : 898 | |
Hg | 1000 | Pistia stratiotes | Water lettuce | Cd(T), Cr(H), Cu(T) | 35 records of plants | [1] : 891, 898 [33] [40] [ full citation needed ] |
Hg | Salix spp. | Osier spp. | Ag, Cr, Se, petroleum hydrocarbures, organic solvents, MTBE, TCE and by-products; [1] : 19 Cd, Pb, U, Zn (S. viminalix); [7] Potassium ferrocyanide (S. babylonica L.) [8] | Phytoextraction. Perchlorate (wetland halophytes) | [1] : 19 | |
Mo | 1500 | Thlaspi caerulescens ( Brassicaceae ) | Alpine pennycress | Cd(H), Cr(A), Co(H), Cu(H), Ni(H), Pb(H), Zn(H) | phytoextraction | [1] : 19, 891, 898 [31] [32] [33] [34] |
Naphthalene | Festuca arundinacea | Tall Fescue | Increases catabolic genes and the mineralization of naphthalene. | [41] | ||
Naphthalene | Trifolium hirtum | Pink clover, rose clover | Decreases catabolic genes and the mineralization of naphthalene. | [41] | ||
Pb | A- | Agrostis castellana | 'Highland Bent Grass | Al(A), As(H), Mn(A), Zn(A) | Origin Portugal. | [1] : 898 |
Pb | Ambrosia artemisiifolia | Ragweed | [6] | |||
Pb | Armeria maritima | Seapink Thrift | [6] | |||
Pb | Athyrium yokoscense | (Japanese false spleenwort?) | Cd(A), Cu(H), Zn(H) | Origin Japan. | [1] : 898 | |
Pb | A- | Azolla filiculoides | Pacific mosquitofern | Cu(A), Ni(A), Mn(A) | Origin Africa. Floating plant. | [1] : 898 |
Pb | A- | Bacopa monnieri | Smooth Water Hyssop, Water hyssop, Brahmi, Thyme-leafed gratiola | Cd(H), Cr(H), Cu(H), Hg(A) | Origin India. Aquatic emergent species. | [1] : 898 [19] |
Pb | H- | Brassica juncea | Indian mustard | Cd(A), Cr(A), Cu(H), Ni(H), Pb(H), Pb(P), U(A), Zn(H) | 79 recorded plants. Phytoextraction | [1] : 19, 891, 898 [6] [20] [31] [33] [34] [42] |
Pb | Brassica napus | Rapeseed plant | Ag, Cr, Hg, Se, Zn | Phytoextraction | [1] : 19 [6] | |
Pb | Brassica oleracea | Ornamental Kale and Cabbage, Broccoli | [6] | |||
Pb | H- | Vallisneria americana | Tape Grass | Cd(H), Cr(A), Cu(H) | Native to Europe and North Africa. Widely cultivated in the aquarium trade. | [1] : 898 |
Pb | Eichhornia crassipes | Water Hyacinth | Cd(H), Cr(A), Cu(A), Hg(H), Zn(A). Also Cs, Sr, U, [23] and pesticides. [24] | Pantropical/Subtropical, 'the troublesome weed'. | [1] : 898 | |
Pb | Festuca ovina | Blue Sheep Fescue | [6] | |||
Pb | Ipomoea trifida | Morning glory | Phytoextraction and rhizofiltration | [1] : 19, 898 [6] [7] [42] | ||
Pb | H- | Hydrilla verticillata | Hydrilla | Cd(H), Cr(A), Hg(H) | [1] : 898 | |
Pb | H- | Lemna minor | Duckweed | Cd(H), Cu(H), Zn(H) | Native to North America and widespread worldwide. | [1] : 898 |
Pb | Salix viminalis | Common Osier | Cd, U, Zn, [7] Ag, Cr, Hg, Se, petroleum hydrocarbures, organic solvents, MTBE, TCE and by-products (S. spp.); [1] : 19 Potassium ferrocyanide (S. babylonica L.) [8] | Phytoextraction. Perchlorate (wetland halophytes) | [7] | |
Pb | H- | Salvinia molesta | Kariba weeds or water ferns | Cr(H), Ni(H), Pb(H), Zn(A) | Origin India. | [1] : 898 |
Pb | Spirodela polyrhiza | Giant Duckweed | Cd(H), Cr(H), Ni(H), Zn(A) | Native to North America. | [1] : 891, 898 [28] | |
Pb | Thlaspi caerulescens ( Brassicaceae ) | Alpine pennycress, Alpine pennygrass | Cd(H), Cr(A), Co(H), Cu(H), Mo(H), Ni(H), Zn(H) | Phytoextraction. | [1] : 19, 891, 898 [31] [32] [33] [34] | |
Pb | Thlaspi rotundifolium | Round-leaved Pennycress | [6] | |||
Pb | Triticum aestivum | Common Wheat | [6] | |||
Se | .012-20 | Amanita muscaria | Fly agaric | Cap contains higher concentrations than stalks [43] | ||
Se | Brassica juncea | Indian mustard | Rhizosphere bacteria enhance accumulation. [44] | [1] : 19 | ||
Se | Brassica napus | Rapeseed plant | Ag, Cr, Hg, Pb, Zn | Phytoextraction. | [1] : 19 [6] | |
Se | Low rates of selenium volatilization from selenate-supplied Muskgrass (10-fold less than from selenite) may be due to a major rate limitation in the reduction of selenate to organic forms of selenium in Muskgrass. | Chara canescens Desv. & Lois | Muskgrass | Muskgrass treated with selenite contains 91% of the total Se in organic forms (selenoethers and diselenides), compared with 47% in Muskgrass treated with selenate. [45] 1.9% of the total Se input is accumulated in its tissues; 0.5% is removed via biological volatilization. [46] | [47] | |
Se | Bassia scoparia (a.k.a. Kochia scoparia ) | burningbush, ragweed, summer cypress, fireball, belvedere and Mexican firebrush, Mexican fireweed | U, [7] Cr, Pb, Hg, Ag, Zn | Perchlorate (wetland halophytes). Phytoextraction. | [1] : 19, 898 | |
Se | Salix spp. | Osier spp. | Ag, Cr, Hg, petroleum hydrocarbures, organic solvents, MTBE, TCE and by-products; [1] : 19 Cd, Pb, U, Zn (S. viminalis); [7] Potassium ferrocyanide (S. babylonica L.) [8] | Phytoextraction. Perchlorate (wetland halophytes). | [1] : 19 | |
Zn | A- | Agrostis castellana | Highland Bent Grass | Al(A), As(H), Mn(A), Pb(A) | Origin Portugal. | [1] : 898 |
Zn | Athyrium yokoscense | (Japanese false spleenwort?) | Cd(A), Cu(H), Pb(H) | Origin Japan. | [1] : 898 | |
Zn | Brassicaceae | Mustards, mustard flowers, crucifers or cabbage family | Cd(H), Cs(H), Ni(H), Sr(H) | Phytoextraction | [1] : 19 | |
Zn | Brassica juncea L. | Indian mustard | Cd(A), Cr(A), Cu(H), Ni(H), Pb(H), Pb(P), U(A). | Larvae of Pieris brassicae do not even sample its high-Zn leaves. (Pollard and Baker, 1997) | [1] : 19, 898 [20] | |
Zn | Brassica napus | Rapeseed plant | Ag, Cr, Hg, Pb, Se | Phytoextraction | [1] : 19 [6] | |
Zn | Helianthus annuus | Sunflower | Phytoextraction and rhizofiltration | [1] : 19 [7] | ||
Zn | Eichhornia crassipes | Water Hyacinth | Cd(H), Cr(A), Cu(A), Hg(H), Pb(H). Also Cs, Sr, U, [23] and pesticides. [24] | Pantropical/Subtropical, 'the troublesome weed'. | [1] : 898 | |
Zn | Salix viminalis | Common Osier | Ag, Cr, Hg, Se, petroleum hydrocarbons, organic solvents, MTBE, TCE and by-products; [1] : 19 Cd, Pb, U (S. viminalis); [7] Potassium ferrocyanide (S. babylonica L.) [8] | Phytoextraction. Perchlorate (wetland halophytes). | [7] | |
Zn | A- | Salvinia molesta | Kariba weeds or water ferns | Cr(H), Ni(H), Pb(H), Zn(A) | Origin India. | [1] : 898 |
Zn | 1400 | Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke ( Caryophyllaceae ) | Bladder campion | Ernst et al. (1990) | ||
Zn | Spirodela polyrhiza | Giant Duckweed | Cd(H), Cr(H), Ni(H), Pb(H) | Native to North America. | [1] : 891, 898 [28] | |
Zn | H-10,000 | Thlaspi caerulescens ( Brassicaceae ) | Alpine pennycress | Cd(H), Cr(A), Co(H), Cu(H), Mo, Ni(H), Pb(H) | 48 records of plants. May acidify its own rhizosphere, which would facilitate absorption by solubilization of the metal [31] | [1] : 19, 891, 898 [32] [33] [34] [42] |
Zn | Trifolium pratense | Red Clover | Nonmetal accumulator. | Its rhizosphere is denser in bacteria than that of Thlaspi caerulescens , but T. caerulescens has relatively more metal-resistant bacteria. [31] |
Cs-137 activity was much smaller in leaves of larch and sycamore maple than of spruce: spruce > larch > sycamore maple.
Arsenic is a chemical element; it has symbol As and atomic number 33. It is a metalloid and one of the pnictogens, and therefore shares many properties with its group 15 neighbors phosphorus and antimony. Arsenic is a notoriously toxic heavy metal. It occurs naturally in many minerals, usually in combination with sulfur and metals, but also as a pure elemental crystal. It has various allotropes, but only the grey form, which has a metallic appearance, is important to industry.
A toxic heavy metal is any relatively dense metal or metalloid that is noted for its potential toxicity, especially in environmental contexts. The term has particular application to cadmium, mercury and lead, all of which appear in the World Health Organization's list of 10 chemicals of major public concern. Other examples include manganese, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, silver, antimony and thallium.
Bioaccumulation is the gradual accumulation of substances, such as pesticides or other chemicals, in an organism. Bioaccumulation occurs when an organism absorbs a substance faster than it can be lost or eliminated by catabolism and excretion. Thus, the longer the biological half-life of a toxic substance, the greater the risk of chronic poisoning, even if environmental levels of the toxin are not very high. Bioaccumulation, for example in fish, can be predicted by models. Hypothesis for molecular size cutoff criteria for use as bioaccumulation potential indicators are not supported by data. Biotransformation can strongly modify bioaccumulation of chemicals in an organism.
Bioremediation broadly refers to any process wherein a biological system, living or dead, is employed for removing environmental pollutants from air, water, soil, flue gasses, industrial effluents etc., in natural or artificial settings. The natural ability of organisms to adsorb, accumulate, and degrade common and emerging pollutants has attracted the use of biological resources in treatment of contaminated environment. In comparison to conventional physicochemical treatment methods bioremediation may offer advantages as it aims to be sustainable, eco-friendly, cheap, and scalable.
Phytoremediation technologies use living plants to clean up soil, air and water contaminated with hazardous contaminants. It is defined as "the use of green plants and the associated microorganisms, along with proper soil amendments and agronomic techniques to either contain, remove or render toxic environmental contaminants harmless". The term is an amalgam of the Greek phyto (plant) and Latin remedium. Although attractive for its cost, phytoremediation has not been demonstrated to redress any significant environmental challenge to the extent that contaminated space has been reclaimed.
Salix viminalis, the basket willow, common osier or osier, is a species of willow native to Europe, Western Asia, and the Himalayas.
Serpentine soil is an uncommon soil type produced by weathered ultramafic rock such as peridotite and its metamorphic derivatives such as serpentinite. More precisely, serpentine soil contains minerals of the serpentine subgroup, especially antigorite, lizardite, and chrysotile or white asbestos, all of which are commonly found in ultramafic rocks. The term "serpentine" is commonly used to refer to both the soil type and the mineral group which forms its parent materials.
The selenate ion is SeO2−
4.
Mycoremediation is a form of bioremediation in which fungi-based remediation methods are used to decontaminate the environment. Fungi have been proven to be a cheap, effective and environmentally sound way for removing a wide array of contaminants from damaged environments or wastewater. These contaminants include heavy metals, organic pollutants, textile dyes, leather tanning chemicals and wastewater, petroleum fuels, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, pesticides and herbicides in land, fresh water, and marine environments.
A hyperaccumulator is a plant capable of growing in soil or water with high concentrations of metals, absorbing these metals through their roots, and concentrating extremely high levels of metals in their tissues. The metals are concentrated at levels that are toxic to closely related species not adapted to growing on the metalliferous soils. Compared to non-hyperaccumulating species, hyperaccumulator roots extract the metal from the soil at a higher rate, transfer it more quickly to their shoots, and store large amounts in leaves and roots. The ability to hyperaccumulate toxic metals compared to related species has been shown to be due to differential gene expression and regulation of the same genes in both plants.
This list covers known nickel hyperaccumulators, accumulators or plant species tolerant to nickel.
This list covers hyperaccumulators, plant species which accumulate, or are tolerant of radionuclides, hydrocarbons and organic solvents, and inorganic solvents.
Pteris vittata, the Chinese brake, Chinese ladder brake, or simply ladder brake, is a fern species in the Pteridoideae subfamily of the Pteridaceae. It is indigenous to Asia, southern Europe, tropical Africa, and Australia. The type specimen was collected in China by Pehr Osbeck.
Rhizofiltration is a form of phytoremediation that involves filtering contaminated groundwater, surface water and wastewater through a mass of roots to remove toxic substances or excess nutrients.
Environmental effects of mining can occur at local, regional, and global scales through direct and indirect mining practices. Mining can cause erosion, sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, or the contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water by chemicals emitted from mining processes. These processes also affect the atmosphere through carbon emissions which contributes to climate change.
Spirodela polyrhiza is a species of duckweed known by the common names common duckmeat, greater duckweed, great duckmeat, common duckweed, and duckmeat. It can be found nearly worldwide in many types of freshwater habitat.
Azolla pinnata is a species of fern known by several common names, including mosquitofern, feathered mosquitofern and water velvet. It is native to much of Africa, Asia and parts of Australia. It is an aquatic plant, it is found floating upon the surface of the water. It grows in quiet and slow-moving water bodies because swift currents and waves break up the plant. At maximum growth rate, it can double its biomass in 1.9 days, with most strains attaining such growth within a week under optimal conditions.
Phytoextraction is a subprocess of phytoremediation in which plants remove dangerous elements or compounds from soil or water, most usually heavy metals, metals that have a high density and may be toxic to organisms even at relatively low concentrations. The heavy metals that plants extract are toxic to the plants as well, and the plants used for phytoextraction are known hyperaccumulators that sequester extremely large amounts of heavy metals in their tissues. Phytoextraction can also be performed by plants that uptake lower levels of pollutants, but due to their high growth rate and biomass production, may remove a considerable amount of contaminants from the soil.
Mycorrhizal amelioration of heavy metals or pollutants is a process by which mycorrhizal fungi in a mutualistic relationship with plants can sequester toxic compounds from the environment, as a form of bioremediation.
Alyssum serpyllifolium, the thyme-leaved alison, is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, native to the western Mediterranean region. It is adapted to serpentine soils. The Royal Horticultural Society recommends it for rock gardens.