India’s National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), based in Lucknow, has made a significant breakthrough in the field of environmental biotechnology. Scientists have identified a rare plant native to India that can absorb heavy metals from polluted soil without harming itself. This discovery is part of a broader field called phytoremediation, which leverages the natural capacity of plants to clean environmental contaminants—particularly metals like lead, cadmium, chromium, and nickel.
What is Phytoremediation?
Phytoremediation is the process of using plants (and their associated microbes) to clean polluted soils and water—especially those contaminated with heavy metals like nickel, chromium, cadmium, etc. It’s an eco-friendly, cost‑effective alternative to traditional remediation methods, and highly relevant to India, where industrial and fly‑ash pollution is widespread.
Metal-Absorbing Plant Traits
The rare Indian plant identified can extract and store toxic metals such as nickel, cadmium, and chromium. Unlike most vegetation, it tolerates high metal concentrations without wilting or experiencing cell damage. This trait makes it ideal for remediation in mining zones, industrial waste lands, and fly-ash dumps.
Role of soil microbes
Scientists at NBRI found that certain plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), such as Enterobacter strains, help the plant extract metals efficiently. These bacteria solubilize metals and secrete enzymes that lower toxicity and boost plant health, even in heavily contaminated soils. Notably, strains such as NBRI K28 (Enterobacter sp.) and K24/K3 have shown the ability to aid Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) in tolerating and accumulating nickel and chromium, all while promoting plant growth.
Combining Plants + Microbes: Pot Experiments with Fly‑Ash
Pot trials combining Jatropha curcas and Indian mustard (a biodiesel feedstock) with these PGPR strains demonstrated enhanced uptake of heavy metals from fly-ash. The PGPR helped both by reducing metal toxicity and by naturally increasing metal uptake, especially when used with chelating agents like EDTA.
Acidifying By-products Meet Heavy Metals
Research shows these bacteria help solubilize toxic metals via siderophores, organic acids, and enzymes like ACC‑deaminase—making metals easier for plants to absorb and simultaneously enhancing resistance to metal stress.
Common Indian Plants for Phyto‑cleanup
India hosts many plants with phytoremediation potential—even outside of NBRI’s work. Common weeds and roadside species (e.g. Ricinus communis and Calotropis procera) have been found to accumulate Pb, Zn, Ni, and other contaminants. Reviews note that over 400 plant species globally, including Indian natives, are effective for soil–water cleanup.
Cellular-Level Research
Worldwide research (backed by Indian labs) explores how plants transport and store heavy metals—studying ligands like histidine, metallothioneins, chelators and transporters at cellular levels. These insights point toward future strategies like genetic engineering or microbial symbiosis to boost phytoremediation efficacy.This research is crucial for India, where industrial activities have severely polluted land in many regions.
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