We can’t manage to do it ourselves, but can plants do it for us? Pollution-Busting that is.

Plants take in Carbon Dioxide to use it as a constituent of their food, so are already helping to lessen the effects of Global Warming. That’s not all they can do though.
One of the most common contaminants in toxic waste dumps is trichloroethylene (TCE) in the USA is a carcinogen. Along with this the Aribidopsis plant may mop up the residue of RDX a military explosive.

Here’s another couple of plants that absorb pollutants and tell tales. A large clump of luscious nettles shows the presence of a lot of phospate. Phosphate is a plant food that comes from decayed bones is some cases. The copper flower is the only plant that can grow on heavily copper contaminated soil. It also grows on top of copper deposits. These are just two of nature’s forensic plants.

Plants, in particular deciduous trees, are great pollution removers. Unless,of course, we cause so much pollution that we kill them – and in that case, ourselves too.

If you would like to read more of this article go to http://scia.com/articles and look for Science News October 15th 2007