Beyond survival: Can we engineer plants to thrive in and remediate radioactive environments?
Hossen I, Rocky MMH, Rahman Z, Rahman I
Summary
PubMedWhy it matters This matters because the food grown in soil near nuclear accident sites or uranium mines can carry radioactive particles into the food chain, and smarter, engineered plants could one day make those landscapes safe again for farming and communities.
When nuclear accidents or mining leave soil contaminated with radioactive materials, it can stay dangerous for generations. Researchers are exploring how to genetically tweak plants — using cutting-edge tools like CRISPR — so they can absorb or lock down those radioactive particles more effectively. They're also looking at how tiny soil microbes around plant roots can help plants handle radiation stress and clean up contamination faster.
chevron_right Technical Details
Scientists are reviewing how plants can be engineered using gene-editing and microbial partnerships to not just survive but actively clean up radioactive contamination in soil — turning plants into living remediation tools for nuclear accident sites and mining regions.
Key Findings
CRISPR gene editing can precisely modify plant genes responsible for metal transport and stress response, potentially boosting a plant's ability to absorb or immobilize radionuclides in contaminated soil.
Rhizosphere microorganisms (bacteria and fungi living around plant roots) significantly influence how radioactive particles behave in soil and can enhance plant tolerance to ionizing radiation.
Major barriers to real-world use remain, including a scarcity of field-scale studies, limited genetic data on naturally radiation-tolerant plant species, and regulatory hurdles for deploying engineered plants.
Abstract Preview
Radionuclide (RN) contamination remains a long-standing environmental and agricultural challenge in regions affected by nuclear accidents, mining, and industrial activities. This review compiles ex...
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