Developments in electroremediation and phytoremediation for the treatment of metal contaminated soils

This paper examines certain areas of progress in developing new methods of treatment for metal contaminated soils. Electroremediation, which involves the passage of low intensity direct current between suitably distributed electrodes, may be used either singly or in combination with other approaches for transporting and removing metal ions from soils of low permeability that are difficult to treat by conventional methods. Effective phytoremediation involving the use of metal accumulating plants depends on the selection of mutant types with specific genetic characteristics. A novel approach for the rapid isolation of appropriate strains of members of the genus Brassica is currently under investigation and is outlined in this paper.