Phytoremediation is a remediation process that can be used to clean up soils contaminated with heavy metals. Three main approaches can be utilized: phytoextraction, phytovolatilization, and phytostabilization, each of them exploiting the natural ability of plants to accumulate or exclude/stabilize elements from soils. To implement this alternative technology, a better understanding of the various processes controlling metal mobilization, uptake and sequestration by plants is needed. Metal chelation is recognized as an important factor, regulating to a large extent metals solubility and availability to plants. Natural ion chelators (or MIL: Metal Ion Ligand), produced in the tissus or exuded by the roots, are involved in these phenomena, but their exact nature and the various mechanisms have to be précised. We investigated the influence of elevated metals concentrations on MIL profiles and on metal accumulation in the plant tissues in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.CV Chinese Spring) genetically modified by disomic addition of wheatgrass (Lophopyrum elogatum L.) chromosomes. Qualitative and quantitative determinations of MIL profiles are realised by GC-MS and RMN 1-D and 2-D. Concentrations of metals in the tissues are obtained by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Correlations between some metals (ie, Fe, Zn, Mn) and some MIL exuded or present in the roots (ie, acetate), depending on the various genotypes, have been observed. The results suggest possible chromosomal location(s) of gene(s) involved in mobilization and/or sequestration of metals.