Determining the extent of the uptake of the heavy metal, Lead, in plants
by Marvin Ownley
Developed under the guidance of:
Dr. W. Lin Coker, III
Chemistry
Phytoremediation is a process that can be used to remove hazardous chemicals from soil. Plants absorb hazardous waste along with water and nutrients through their roots and store the hazardous waste in their biomass. Plants that undergo this process are called hyperaccumulators. Phytoremediation can also be used to remove harmful heavy metals from the soil. Lead was used in this experiment because it is classified as a carcinogen, is easily accessible, and gives a linear curve when analyzed using atomic absorption spectrometry within a reasonable concentration range. The two main research questions presented are: Will A.thaliana absorb significantly more lead at an increased concentration? Are there plants native to central NC that produce sufficient biomass that would be cost effective to be used in phytoremediation? Arabidopsis thaliana was used in these experiments because it is a model organism that grows relatively quickly and is readily available. A. thaliana is a member of the Brassicaceae, or mustard, family.
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