Phytoremediation: A Preeminent Alternative Method for Bioremoval of Heavy Metals from Environment

Abstract

Phytoremediation is considered as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly technique for decontaminating environments that have been contaminated with heavy metal ions. The technique describes the use of plants and their concomitant microbes to mitigate environmental contaminations. However, conventional remediation techniques like chemical, thermal and physical treatment methods are too costly, and may end of causing more contamination to the environment. Phytoremediation practice provides a major information on the utilization of plants and their materials in decontaminating polluted environments. Heavy metals and other organic contaminants are among the most precarious substances released into the environment which have an eminent level of toxicity and sturdiness of both aquatic and terrestrial organisms. The review aimed at providing a broad understanding of utilizing various plants and their materials in decontaminating polluted environments with heavy metals and other organic contaminants. It also provided the general methods used in treating the aforementioned contaminants in an environment. The review further discussed the classes of phytoremediation like phytoextraction, phytovolatilisation, phytostabilization, phytotransformation, phytodegradation and phytofiltration. The generalized advantages and disadvantages of phytoremediation were ultimately highlighted.