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Toxic-Taming Trees

WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET RID OF THE POLLUTION PLAGUING OUR WATER AND SOIL?  ONE ANSWER MIGHT INVOLVE TOXIC-TAMING PLANTS, AS YOU’LL HEAR ON TODAY'S ENVIRONMINUTE.

WHEN A POPLAR TREE IS MODIFIED WITH AN ENZYME THAT BREAKS DOWN TOXINS IN THE HUMAN LIVER, IT BECOMES BETTER ABLE TO NEUTRALIZE CERTAIN CHEMICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT.  FOR EXAMPLE, IT BREAKS DOWN TRICHLOROETHYLENE, AN INDUSTRIAL DEGREASER COMMONLY FOUND IN GROUNDWATER.

STRAND: IT WILL BREAK DOWN AS MUCH TRI-CHLORO-ETHYLENE AS YOU PRESENT TO IT.

THAT’S RESEARCHER STUART STRAND OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.  HE SEES POTENTIAL FOR PLANTS TO ALSO TACKLE AIR TOXINS SUCH AS SECONDHAND SMOKE, BENZENE FROM GASOLINE, AND METHANE AND NITROUS OXIDES - TWO POTENT GLOBAL WARMING GASES.

MORE TESTING WILL ASSURE THAT THE MODIFIED TREES DON'T SPAWN UNINTENDED ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS.  THEN IT’S CHEMICAL-CONSUMING PLANTS TO THE RESCUE!

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Read more about phytoremediation from the University of Washington.