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Current projects in the Westenberg lab center around soil microorganisms and their role in agriculture and phytoremediation.
Phytoremediation is an inexpensive and effective approach to the removal of environmental contaminants but is currently limited with respect to specific types of contaminants that can be removed. One approach to expand the spectrum of contaminants that can be removed through phytoremediation has focused on the microorganisms that reside in the rhizosphere. This approach is attractive for several reasons: 1) rhizosphere microorganisms are capable of a broader range of metabolic activities relative to their host plants; 2) rhizosphere microorganisms can be manipulated to further expand their metabolic capabilities; 3) rhizosphere microorganisms are adapted to life in the rhizosphere and, in combination with the appropriate host plant, it is possible to maintain the population of contaminant degrading microorganisms throughout the remediation process. .
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