There are many projects, both research and commercial, currently underway that utilize phytoremediation to clean up site with petroleum hydrocarbon pollution. A few are mentioned below.
RTDF Phytoremediation Action Team - TPH Subgroup
Starting in 1998, the RTDF (Remediation
Technologies Development Forum) TPH Subgroup, in collaboration with EPA,
DoD, major petroleum companies, and environmental consulting firms started
a series of field trials to explore the use of vegetation to enhance treatment
of surface soils contaminated with TPH, at various sites throughout the
United States. Though the trials differ in contaminant compositions, climate
and other site specific details, the experimental design is such that comparisons
between sites will be made. See http://www.engg.ksu.edu/HSRC/RTDF1.html#intro
for further information about these studies.
CH2M Hill:
A large, national engineering and environmental
consulting firm that has developed many phytoremediation projects involving
TPH. See http://www.ch2m.com/Flash/Svcs/Phyto/PhytoNav/PhytoNavFrame.htm
for more information.
Ecolotree:
One of the oldest phytoremediation companies in the country based out
of Iowa. They primarily work on buffer and capping of contaminated sites
using hybrid poplar trees for phytostabilization. They hold patents in
these areas. See http://www.ecolotree.com/page3c.htm
for more information.
Before (1997) and after (1998) pictures of an Ecolotree project at a rail tie yard in Tennessee. Hybrid poplars were planted to stabilize soil, prevent migration of PAHs of the site and encourage microbial growth for degradation of contaminants.