An innovative and progressive technology that uses plants to rid soil, groundwater, air, sediments, and surface water of contaminants. Phytoremediation is comprised of several different techniques that utilise vegetation, its related enzymes, and other complex processes. Collectively, these processes can isolate, destroy, transport, and remove organic and inorganic pollutants from contaminated media, whilst reinstating soil fertility, biodiversity & capturing carbon.

How it works?

When plants are introduced to a contaminated medium, the processes which occurs is broadly known as phytoremediation.

There are five distinct processes which contribute to the success of phytoremediation.

Phytostimulation
The enhancement of soil microbial activity to accelerate the breakdown of contaminants. This is typically done by organisms which work together with plant roots.

Phytostabilisation
Use of plant roots to reduce the movement and bioavailability of contaminants in the environment. Put simply, this is the process of locking up contaminants to mitigate exposure pathways.

Phytodegradation
The plant’s ability to consume and transform contaminants by its use of enzymes, which break down compounds into less harmful substances.

Phytovolatisation
The process in which plants take up contaminates from medium and release them as a less toxic element to atmosphere through transpiration.

Phytoextraction
This complex process is the ability of specific plants to extract contaminants from the soil and absorb in harvestable biomass. This can reduce initial contaminant levels to more workable limits, but being highly complex, it can only be used in specific cases.