ABSTRACT
Heavy metal contamination, caused by either natural processes or by human activities is one of the most serious environmental problems (Reedy and Prasad, 1990). Because plants function as the principal entry points of heavy metals into the food chain leading to animals and man (Rauser, 1990), it is very important to clean up soil and groundwater, which is a challenging proposition for a range of technical and economic reasons. Although several methods of cleanup have been developed, they are expensive and are only suitable for small areas of high commercial values (Negri and Hinchman, 1996). Furthermore, they restrict plant growth and render the soil biologically dead during the decontamination process.
