Plant that Hyper-Accumulates Cadmium Discovered

The Fujita Corp of Japan, in cooperation with the National Institute for Rural Engineering and Professor Chisato Takenaka at Nagoya University, has found that a perennial plant called Hakusan-hatazao in Japanese (Arabis gemmifera) can absorb and accumulate high levels of cadmium (Cd) from the soil.

Cadmium is widely used in metal plating, paints, and rechargeable batteries. Although current soil remediation technologies such as encapsulation and soil washing take a relatively short time, there is a demand for cheaper and more energy-efficient alternatives.

Fujita has been active in the field of phyto-remediation technology. After having surveyed well over a hundred plant species found to be thriving on the Cd contaminated sites across the nation, the company found that Arabis gemmifera is a Cd hyper-accumulator. The plant's Cd storage capacity is 10 to 20 times higher than those on a list of Cd hyper-accumulating plants drawn up by Professor Alan Baker at the University of Sheffield in UK.

This plant can be used to purify soil in most areas of Japan, and it has proven to be effective even for comparatively low levels of contamination. As is it native to Japan, it has little effect on Japanese ecosystems. Moreover, since it doesn't need any solution accelerators such as chelating agents, special management is not required during the process of purification.

Fujita will carry out further research on Arabis gemmifera to identify potential applications in other phyto-remediation technologies. The company also intends to establish mass cultivation techniques for the plant and develop a supply system, aiming to put the method into practical use nationwide in fiscal year 2005.



Posted: 2004/07/17 02:01:30 PM
Japanese version