Soil contamination with heavy metals such as lead and cooper in the El Paso, Texas area and other contaminated areas represent a potential health risk to the general public. To reduce the detrimental public health effects caused by heavy metals, it is very important to remediate those areas that are already contaminated. New and innovative soil remediation techniques are necessary. The capability of some plants to uptake high levels of heavy metals is of benefit. This technique is known as phytoremediation. Phytoremediation has the potential of being a feasible and cost-effective process of remediation of contaminated soils. However, most of the plants identified as potential phytoremediators only grow in more fertile areas and cannot survive in the desert environment. Our hypothesis is that desert plans may have the ability to reduce soil heavy contaminants in arid climates and thereby reduce the health threat they pose to the community.
Our specific aims are: 1). To cultivate seedlings of desert plains hydroponically in temperature controlled greenhouses. The desert plants we plan to study include Larrea tridentate (creosotebush), Prosopis glandulosa (mesquite), Salsola kali (tumble wee), Coevalina spinosa (crucifix), and Solanum elaegnofolium (purple nightshade). 2). To grow the desert plants in contaminated soils within temperature controlled greenhouses. 3). To grow the desert plants in contaminated soils within temperature controlled greenhouses. 3). To investigate the mechanisms of metal uptake by the desert plants for this we will use spectroscopic, electron microscopy, and chemical modification techniques, as well as identification of the possible metal binding proteins. 3). To investigate the mechanisms of metal uptake by the desert plants. For this we will use spectroscopic, electron microscopy, and chemical modification techniques. as well as identification of the possible metal binding proteins. 4). To examine the feasibility of growing the best metal accumulating desert plants in actual soil contaminated sites. The long term goal of this research is to understand the mechanisms of how desert plants uptake toxic heavy metals from contaminated soils. These studies will help to select the best metal-accumulating desert plants to use for soil remediation and thereby reduce the health threat to the general public. The heavy metals from these contaminated soils are currently being transported through the air to the community and to people, especially children and pregnant women who are very susceptible to these toxic elements. Consequently, the proposed research as a directly relevance upon biomedical research since it is related to public health.
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