Seeds of one cultivar of faba bean V. faba var minor (Harz) (local supplier, Manchester, UK) were used to grow V. faba plants as a model organism for the extraction of Cu 2+ from the experimental medium. Vicia faba in aquaculture was chosen as a innovative means to extract and immobilise Cu 2+ , building on the fact that this legume is rich with proteins to which copper cations may have a great affinity, and the plant is easy to grow and maintain with robust shoots and roots.