Phytoremediation : an innovative technique

Abstract

The build-up of toxic heavy metals in soils and water streams is now seen as a major environmental problem that harms both plants and animals. Phytoremediation is an effective, economical and ecologically acceptable remediation method that can detoxify and sequester dangerous heavy metals in the plant's contaminated ecosystem. Due to the lack of wastewater treatment infrastructure, developing countries are particularly vulnerable to heavy metal contamination in their soils and water supplies. Most wastewater treatment methods are considered to be expensive and out of the reach of governments and small pollution treatment companies. When land is available, phytotechnology is a viable, sustainable, cost-effective and ecologically friendly way to treat wastewater in residences and commercial buildings. The adoption of phytoremediation has thus been hindered by the fact that a large segment of the population in developing countries is unaware of recent developments and has expressed interest in more conventional treatment techniques. This review discusses the idea of ​​phytoremediation and the ways in which plants eliminate heavy metals.