Phytoextraction.

Phytoextraction involves transport of metals from the soil into the plant and their accumulation in harvestable parts of roots and shoots. For this purpose, a plant species and its specific genotype should not only accumulate and tolerate high levels of toxic metals, but should also have rapid growth rate to produce high level of biomass.

However, even Thlaspi caerulescens, and Brasscia juncea, which in field trials have been found to be the best metal accumulators would take 13 to 14 years of continuous cultivation to clean a particular site contaminated with toxic metals.