molecular biologists at University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass AMherst) are pioneering a method to extract critical minerals such as nickel using plants to transition to clean energy.
Currently, Amherst scientists aim to engineer Camelina sativa, a member of the mustard family, to behave like another plant that “hyperaccumulates” nickel.
According to UMASS Amherst, this ”critical electrical component” is needed in the United States to fuel the green economy, including energy-efficient batteries and electric vehicles.
All plants need nutrients to live and thrive, but a special group known as “hyperaccumulators” have a superstar ability to absorb minerals.
Om Parkash Dhankher, a professor of molecular biology and phytoremediation at UMASS Amherst’s Stockbridge School of Agriculture, has spent the last few decades developing a method to enhance this innate power to turn mining into a green enterprise.