Iris × germanica L. and Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott, two novel strontium hyperaccumulators.
Patriciu P, Gutu CM, Ancuceanu RV, Zarafu I, Urda A
Phytoremediation
That bearded iris standing tall in your neighbor's garden border may soon be planted in rows along industrial sites to pull radioactive strontium out of contaminated groundwater — and it doesn't even flinch at the exposure.
Researchers grew Boston ferns and bearded irises in water spiked with strontium (a potentially harmful metal released by nuclear and industrial sites) and found both plants soaked it up remarkably well without getting sick. The plants pulled strontium from the water into their leaves at rates up to 9 times the concentration in the surrounding solution. This means these familiar garden plants could be used to clean up contaminated land and water just by growing in it.
Key Findings
Both bearded iris and Boston fern accumulated strontium at bioconcentration factors of 6–9x the surrounding solution concentration, well above the hyperaccumulator threshold.
Translocation factors consistently exceeded 1.2–2.2, meaning strontium moved efficiently from roots into above-ground plant tissue — important for harvest-based cleanup strategies.
Neither plant showed significant growth damage even at the highest tested concentrations (200 mg/L strontium, 80 mg/L vanadium), demonstrating strong tolerance to both metals.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists discovered that Boston fern and bearded iris can absorb high levels of strontium from contaminated water, qualifying both as 'hyperaccumulators' — plants that soak up heavy metals far beyond what would harm most species. This opens the door to using common ornamental plants as living cleanup tools for polluted soils and water.
Abstract Preview
We examined the uptake and the effects of strontium (Sr) and vanadium (V) on the growth of hydroponically cultivated species Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott (NE) and Iris × germanica L. (IG). Each...
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Nephrolepis exaltata, known as the sword fern or Boston fern, is a species of fern in the family Nephrolepidaceae. It is native to the Americas. This evergreen plant can reach as high as 40–90 centimetres (16–35 in), and in extreme cases up to 1.5 metres. It is also known as the Boston sword fer...