Compositions and methods for removing pollutants from contaminated materials
AssigneeUniversity of Florida
InventorsLena Q. Ma, Ken M. Komar, Elizabeth D. Kennelley
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Abstract
The invention provides processes and materials for phytoremediating materials which has been contaminated with arsenic, phosphorous, or other metals. In a preferred embodiment, the subject invention provides fern plants, which accumulate arsenic from contaminated materials. The fern plants efficiently remove arsenic from the materials. The fern plants can be harvested and readily disposed of, or can be treated to recover arsenic.
Claims57
A process for removing a pollutant from a contaminated material wherein said process comprises the steps of:
- growing a fern plant on said material, whereby the fern plant removes said pollutant from said material.
A process for recovering a substance present in a material, wherein said process comprises the step of:
- growing a fern plant on said material such that said substance accumulates in said fern plant.
A composition comprising harvested portions of fern plants, wherein said portions of fern plants, have, on a dry weight basis, an arsenic concentration of at least about 100 mg/kg.
A plant which has been modified with biological material obtained from a fern plant so as to confer upon said modified plant an improved ability to remove arsenic from a material.
A method of phytoremediating arsenic containing material comprising the steps of:
- growing a fern plant in said material;
- and harvesting said plant, whereby said material has a reduced arsenic content.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.