The determination of the effects of cadmium and mercury on the growth, biomass productivity and phytoremediation potential of Miscanthus × giganteus (MxG) grown on contaminated soil was the main aim of this paper. the use of bioenergy plants as an innovative strategy in phytotechnology gives additional benefits, including mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and soil remediation without affecting soil fertility. An experiment was set up as a randomized complete block design with the treatments varied in concentrations of Cd (0, 10 and 100 mg kg −1 soil) and Hg (0, 2 and 20 mg kg −1 soil) added to the soil. Three vegetative years were studied. Yield values ranged from 6.3-15.5 t DM ha −1 , cadmium concentration in plants varied from 45-6758 µg kg −1 and Hg varied from 8.7-108.9 µg kg −1 . Values between treatments and years were significantly different. MxG can accumulate and remove very modest amount (up to 293.8 µg Cd and 4.7 µg Hg) per pot per year in aboveground biomass. Based on this data it can be concluded that MxG, as a valuable energy crop, is a potential candidate for the phytostabilization and biomass production on soils contaminated with Cd and Hg moderately.Phytoremediation is considered as a simple and a natural technology that uses plants which can be utilize for efficient absorption of pollutants from contaminated soils 1,2 . Generally, remediation of heavy metal polluted soils could be classified as physico-chemical and biological remediation techniques 3 . Compared to physico-chemical techniques (vitrification, soil washing, solidification and stabilization), phytoremediation technology could reduce dust emission, risk of exposure to soil, provide erosion control and prevent runoff 4 . Unlike physical and chemical treatments that irreversibly alter soil properties, phytoremediation generally improves physical, chemical, and biological quality of contaminated soils, improving soil quality and functionality and carbon sequestration 5,6 . Phytoremediation is suitable for different types of contaminants (organic, metals and radionuclides), with relatively low financial costs, does not require additional energy delivery (energy is obtained from solar radiation) and with minimally influence to the site destruction and destabilization. Additionally, it contributes to the improvement of the visual aspect of the landscape, provides habitats for animals, and reduces leaching and mobilization of contaminants in soil 7 . Disadvantages of phytoremediation include: long remediation time requirement (the process is slow and requires 3-20 growing seasons to achieve remediation goals); relatively shallow cleaning depths; potentially contamination of the food chain; a site-specific technology (structure of the soil profile, pH, presence of salt or other toxins, water quality including nutrients, oxygen content) with a choice of plants being critical, and the fate of contaminants often unclear (the technology may relocate contaminants from the subsurface to the plant, creating residual waste to be disposed ...
