The Potential of Oilseed Rape and Thlaspi caerulescens for Phytoremediation of Cadmium-Contaminated Soil

The presence of heavy metals in agricultural ecosystems has raised concerns not only for crop quality but also for human health. The recent joint report on the current status of soil contamination in China issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) and the Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR) of the People’s Republic of China shows, among the heavy metals and metalloids, Cd ranks the first in the percentage of soil samples (7.0%) exceeding the MEP limit (the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Land and Resources 2014). Special consideration should be paid to heavy metal pollution in soil-plant systems, especially cadmium (Cd), because of its high mobility and relatively lower toxic concentrations in organisms. Phytoremediation has emerged as a potential cost-effective and environmental friendly alternative to engineering-based technologies.