Phytoremediation and stabilisation

 

What are phytoremediation and phytostabilisation?

‘Phytoremediation’ and ‘phytostabilisation’ use plants to immobilise, convert, or remove contaminants generated by industrial processes.

Conventional ‘clean-up’ methods involve the removal or isolation of contaminated soil but these are very expensive. Phytoremediation and phytostabilisation using trees are comparatively inexpensive, in situ approaches that do not rely on the isolation or transport of contaminated material to other sites.

Vegetation establishment has the potential to restrict or prevent wind erosion, leaching, surface water runoff and erosion and thus break or weaken pollutant linkages between contamination source and receptor. This is shown in the figures below where the thickness of arrows indicates magnitude of movement.

Before - without trees

After - with trees

Research overview

The objective was to review the effects of vegetation on pollutant linkage and by inference, its' remedial value.  The research was funded by the Forestry Commission and completed in 2002.

The resultant model is currently being validated as part of the the influence of vegetation on pollutant pathways research.

We are actively conducting research into the effects of vegetation on pollutant linkages.

Publication

The Opportunities for Woodland on Contaminated Land ^(PDF-1018K)
Forestry Commission Information Note.