Biochemical and genetic aspects of the tolerance and accumulation of heavy metals in plants

In recent years a considerable advance in the biotechnology of the remediation of sites or contaminated materials by the use of plants and related organisms, denominated phytoremediation, has occurred. The development is especially significant in the decontamination of heavy metal-contaminated sites. The present work discusses the key aspects of plant molecular genetics involved in heavy metal tolerance and accumulation. The most important advances in the field and the intracellular balance needed to make the accumulation system effective are reviewed. The functioning within the cells when a plant is exposed to elevated heavy metal concentrations is described. It is reasonable to think that, if this system is understood, the achievement of solutions to all the problems derived from heavy metal contamination is only a question of time.