The relationship between metabolism of organic xenobiotics and toxicity to plant tissues is not well understood.
Toxicity correlates best with the number of chlorine atoms in each homologous series.
Transgenic plants have been engineered to rapidly detoxify and transform such xenobiotic chemicals. These could be used in phytoremediation applications if issues of cost and public acceptability are overcome. Special thanks go to L. Newman and M. Gordon, University of Washington, and J. Rosazza, P. Alvarez, and C. Just at the University of Iowa for valuable insights into phytoremediation.