Sunflower Painting,Yellow Light, by Canadian Artist Kim Blair

Sunflowers are not just another pretty flower.  Did you know that one of the most beneficial uses of this plant is in the removal of toxic waste from the environment?  My research uncovered some information on an emerging technology called rhizofiltration.
Hydroponically grown plants are grown floating over water.  Their extensive root systems are able to reach deep into sources of polluted water and extract large amounts of toxic metals, including uranium.  The former Soviet Union used this method to decontaminate water polluted as a result of the 1986 accident at the Chernobyl.  The roots of the floating rafts of sunflowers were able to extract 95% of the radioactivity in the water caused by that accident.

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10x10 oil on canvas