Communities in Mississippi located near petrochemical refining facilities face ongoing risks from heavy metal (HM) contamination in soils, which threatens both environmental quality and food safety. Phytoremediation offers a sustainable and low-cost strategy to reduce these risks.This pilot study evaluated the phytoremediation potential of Nerium oleander and cabbage (Brassica oleracea) under natural field conditions in a community impacted by petrochemical activities. Plants were cultivated directly in contaminated soils, and heavy metal (Pb, Cd, Zn, and Ni) accumulation in roots and shoots was quantified using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical
Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES).Results indicated that N. oleander exhibited a significantly higher capacity for heavy metal uptake compared to cabbage, particularly in root tissues, demonstrating its strong potential for stabilizing and reducing soil metal burdens in situ. Cabbage, by contrast, accumulated relatively lower concentrations of metals, indicating limited utility for remediation but supporting its role
as a safe food crop when grown in soils that have been treated or partially remediated.
The field-based findings highlight N. oleander as an effective candidate for phytoremediation strategies in petrochemical-impacted areas. Beyond its ability to reduce the transfer of contaminants into the food chain, its ornamental value offers additional benefits for community acceptance and landscape improvement. This study underscores the importance of field-scale validation of phytoremediation technologies and provides a foundation for future research exploring plant–microbe interactions and long-term impacts on soil health.