Jean-Louis Morel - Böcker

Phytoremediation, the use of plants to remediate environmental media, is being pursued as a new approach for the cleanup of contaminated soils and waters, including groundwater. Plant-assisted bioremediation, sometimes referred to as a type of phytoremediation, involves the interaction of plant roots and the microorganisms associated with these root systems to re- diate soils containing elevated concentrations of organic compounds. These techniques could provide cost-effective methods of remediating soils and groundwater contaminated with metals, radionuclides, and various types of organics, with fewer secondary wastes and less environmental impact than would be generated using traditional remediation methods. All plants extract necessary nutrients, including metals, from their soil and water environments. Some plants, called hyperaccumulators, have the ability to store large amounts of metals, even some metals that do not appear to be required for plant functioning. In addition, plants can take up various organic chemicals from environmental media and degrade or otherwise process them for use in their physiological processes. Phytoremediation technologies are in the early stages of development, with laboratory research and limited field trials being conducted to determine processes and refine methods. Additional research, including genetic engineering, is being conducted to improve the natural capabilities of plants to perform remediation functions and to investigate other plants with potential phytoremediation applications. Large areas in Western and Eastern countries are polluted with heavy metals and radionuclides in natural, rural, urban or industrial areas.

Phytoremediation, the use of plants to remediate environmental media, is being pursued as a new approach for the cleanup of contaminated soils and waters, including groundwater. Plant-assisted bioremediation, sometimes referred to as a type of phytoremediation, involves the interaction of plant roots and the microorganisms associated with these root systems to re- diate soils containing elevated concentrations of organic compounds. These techniques could provide cost-effective methods of remediating soils and groundwater contaminated with metals, radionuclides, and various types of organics, with fewer secondary wastes and less environmental impact than would be generated using traditional remediation methods. All plants extract necessary nutrients, including metals, from their soil and water environments. Some plants, called hyperaccumulators, have the ability to store large amounts of metals, even some metals that do not appear to be required for plant functioning. In addition, plants can take up various organic chemicals from environmental media and degrade or otherwise process them for use in their physiological processes. Phytoremediation technologies are in the early stages of development, with laboratory research and limited field trials being conducted to determine processes and refine methods. Additional research, including genetic engineering, is being conducted to improve the natural capabilities of plants to perform remediation functions and to investigate other plants with potential phytoremediation applications. Large areas in Western and Eastern countries are polluted with heavy metals and radionuclides in natural, rural, urban or industrial areas.

This second and expanded edition of the first book on agromining (phytomining) presents a comprehensive overview of the metal farming & recovery of the agromining production chain.

This second and expanded edition of the first book on agromining (phytomining) presents a comprehensive overview of the metal farming & recovery of the agromining production chain.

This is the first book on global agromining/phytomining technology. It presents the complete metal farming or agromining chain; an emerging technology expected to be transformative in the extraction of resources of those elements not accessible by traditional mining techniques. Meeting the demand for critical minerals (rare earth elements, platinum group elements, nickel cobalt) is increasingly difficult in the 21st century due to resource depletion and geopolitical factors. Agromining uses hyperaccumulator plants as “metal crops” farmed on sub-economic soils or mineral waste to obtain valuable elements.This book, which follows the metal farming chain, starts with the latest information on the global distribution and ecology of hyperaccumulator plants, biogeochemical pathways, the influence of rhizosphere microbes, as well as aspects of propagation and conservation of these unusual plants. It then presents the state of the art in new tools for identifying hyperaccumulator plants and for understanding their physiology and molecular biology. It goes on to describe the agronomy of “metal crops,” and opportunities for incorporating agromining into rehabilitation and mine closure, including test-cases of nickel, cobalt, selenium, thallium, rare earth elements and PGEs. Finally, it concludes with an overview of the latest developments in the processing of bio-ores and associated products. This book is edited and authored by the pioneers in the field who have been at the foreground of the development of agromining over the past three decades. It is timely as agromining is now at a pivotal point in its development with rapid expansion of activities in the field around the globe. As such it is of interest to environmental professionals in the minerals industry, government regulators and academics.