Balik scientist to help fight soil contamination

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino scientist based in Australia is pushing for “phyto-remediation” as a method of cleaning contaminated soil in mining areas in the country.

“Phyto-remediation can help us clean tainted environment,” said Dr. Augustine Doronila, a senior research fellow at the University of Melbourne in Australia.

Phyto-remediation is the use of living plants to mop up pollution in the environment like metal contaminants in the soil, and restore ecological balance in a mining area.

Doronila, a recipient of the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) Balik Scientist Program, said there are endemic plant species in the country that can help restore mining-damaged soils.

According to the DOST, Doronila would lead a multi-disciplinary research group that would study the various aspects of using phyto-remediation in the country.

DOST said the group would be called Philippine Metalophyte Research Consortium which would be based at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City.

“Its research mission will cover the determination of botanical, chemistry, biological, geological, ecological, and anthropological aspects of implementing phyto-remediation in the Philippines,” the DOST said.

Doronila discovered a possible new nickel hyper accumulator that belongs to the Euphorbiacea family during a recent visit to Zambales.

He said tropical hyper accumulator plants are most likely found on ultramafic or serpentine rock formations which often contain high concentrations of magnesium and some toxic metals.

In 2003, a group of Filipino botanists, including Manila-based Dr. Domingo Madulid, discovered a prolific contaminant fighting species called Phyllanthus balgooyi (Euphorbiaceae).

Phyllanthus balgooyi is a hyper accumulator or a plant that can accumulate extraordinarily high levels of metals in its system.

DOST said there are only four species of nickel hyper accumulating species in the Philippines, all found in Palawan.

DOST said wastes from mining activities, particularly the extraction and processing of mineral resources, are laden with heavy metals and chemicals that can seriously contaminate soil and water. Exposure to these contaminants affects people’s health and livelihood.

The Philippines is one of the world’s biggest producers of copper, nickel, chrome, zinc, gold and silver. In 2008, the mining industry contributed an estimated $1.4 billion to the gross domestic product (GDP).