UMass Amherst: NRE Year in Review

Om Parkash

Assistant Professor Om Parkash is researching a technology that harnesses plants to extract pollutants from soil or water. The plants use their normal root uptake of nutrients to either concentrate pollutants in their cells or convert toxic pollutants to less toxic forms. The technique, called phytoremediation, demonstrates the potential uses of plant biotechnology for environmental restoration. Om is researching ways of genetically modifying the Crambe species (a non-food member of the Brassica family) to increase the plant's ability to tolerate and accumulate arsenic in its shoot tissues. Further studies are being started to extend the approach to removal of cadmium, lead, and chromium contamination.