Copper (Cu)-contaminated soils may cause health risks and can be phytotoxic to plants. Some Cu-tolerant plants have been used for phytoextraction of Cu-from mineral wastes and contaminated land. However, the low bioavailability of Cu in soils and the generally low translocation of Cu from roots to the shoots significantly affect the efficiency of removal of Cu from contaminated land.

The aim of this Honours project is to investigate the effects of root exudates on Cu bioavailability in the rhizosphere of Cu-tolerant plants and to develop methods to increase Cu bioavailability and the subsequent Cu-translocation from the roots to the shoots (e.g. using soil-applied chemical agents). Micro-PIXE (Proton Induced X-ray Emission) spectroscopy will be used to investigate the spatial distribution of Cu in the experimental plants. Information from this project could help us to understand the mechanism of Cu tolerance and accumulation in plants and improve the efficiency of copper phytoextraction.