University System of Maryland

Peter Van Berkum

Rufus L Chaney

Jay Scott Angle

Reda Abdelaziz Abou-Shanab

The invention includes methods for (1) extracting metals from soil by the use of plants that extract and accumulate the metal and adding bacteria to the soil that enhances the ability of the plants to extract the metal, and (2) preparing soil for extraction of a metal by plants by adding bacteria to the soil that enhances the ability of plants to extract the metal. It is preferred that the plants be planted in the soil as seeds and that the bacteria added to the soil is also added to the seeds prior to planting.

Growing community of inventors

Columbia, MD, United States of America

Peter Van Berkum