Due to the high cost of conventional clean-up technologies, there is a growing interest in the use of phytoremediation i.e. the use of plants to remove, degrade or immobilize contaminants. However phytoremediation is somewhat limited by the possibility of consumption by plants from occurrence of biomagnification. Cultivation of aromatic plants is therefore recommended, as essential oil is not prone to heavy metals contamination. There is also a recent surge in research focusing on the use of plant–microbial associations to increase or decrease metal accumulation by plants. The experiment was conducted in a CRD factorial design. The factors comprised of sulfur (0, 0.5 and 1gS/kg soil), thiobacilli (Sulfur Oxidizing Bacteria, SOB) and mycorrhizal inoculation (MI). Plastic pots were treated with 50 mg/kg of cadmium using cadmium nitrate (Cd (NO3) 2.4H2O. Applications of sulfur and/or SOB in combination with MI resulted in a significant additive effect on a root’s Cd uptake and root bio concentration factor. Low Teranslocation Factor showed that less Cd from the peppermint root was translocated to the shoot. Approximately all Cd remained in the residues after distillation and essential oil was free from Cd in all treatments.
