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The most commonly used methods in studies of heavy metal pollution involve either the extremely high cost of excavation and burial or simply isolation of the contaminated areas. Such cleanup techniques can be practiced only in small areas (often a half hectare or less). Urban sites can be decontaminated from heavy metals by applying phytoremediation, which is a low cost process and suited to both small or large areas.

The feasibility of using vegetation as a viable, ecologically acceptable, and cost-effective alternative to clean up metal contaminated soils, depends mainly on the identification and selection of plant species that possess the ability to accumulate metals. This work focused on the ability of Myoporum to tolerate and accurnulate toxic levels of lead in roots, shoots, and leaves in an arid climate and to compare it with Brossica nigra plant. These plants were cultivated outdoors under natural daylight in artificial soil media containing lead in the form of nitrate and sulfide. The tests showed that both plants have a good absorption capacity for lead when the heavy metal is in sulfide instead of nitrate form. The highest values in Pb concentration were found in the roots. The leaves have a slightly better lead capacity than the shoots. Both plants showed a good adaptation with the soil medium.