A new open-access study published in Nature Scientific Data offers one of the most comprehensive resources to date on phytoremediation. The research compiles results from 587 peer-reviewed studies across 77 countries, consolidating over 13,000 data points on plant uptake of 118 soil elements. The result is the Global Plant and Element Uptake Dataset (GPRD), a reference tool with broad implications for landscape design, environmental remediation, and urban ecological restoration.
Phytoremediation, the use of plants to extract, immobilize, or degrade contaminants in soil, has long been applied at various scales—from brownfield redevelopment to roadside stabilization. However, much of the supporting data has remained fragmented. The GPRD helps fill that gap by identifying which plant families are most effective at accumulating or stabilizing specific elements, including heavy metals and rare earth elements.
For practitioners working in the Northeast, where historic fill, lead contamination, and legacy industrial pollutants are common, this dataset provides a valuable evidence base for informed plant selection. For example, it documents patterns of cadmium, arsenic, and lead uptake across plant families such as Salicaceae, Brassicaceae, and Poaceae.
At Offshoots, we frequently work at the intersection of ecological performance and built landscape. This includes designing urban green infrastructure and planting systems that do more than meet aesthetic goals—they also support stormwater management, pollinator habitat, and soil health. In landscapes across the Greater Boston area where environmental contamination is a concern, this dataset adds scientific grounding to phytoremediation strategies we’ve employed for over a decade.
The GPRD also enables deeper analysis of site-specific conditions and informs phased remediation approaches. While phytoremediation alone is rarely sufficient for regulatory closure, it can contribute to interim risk reduction, habitat enhancement, and long-term soil recovery when integrated with other methods.
Read the full study here:
Remediating toxic elements with sunflower, hemp, castor bean, & bamboo: an open dataset of harmonized variables