Phytoremediation Technology: Sustainable Solution for Cleaning Up of Recalcitrant Pollutants from Disturbed Environs

Abstract

Recalcitrant pollutants mainly come from industrial processes such as mineral extraction, metal casting and coating, discharge of effluents, and nuclear fuel generation. These pollutants are introduced into food chain resulting in their accumulation in human body. Even at low concentration they pose serious health effects. A low-cost biotechnological alternative for remediation of recalcitrant pollutants is phytoremediation. Plants are capable of degrading, immobilizing, stabilizing, and extracting toxic elements from soil, sediment, or water environs. Furthermore, this chapter summarizes the information obtained by scientific sources about the use of plants for cleaning up of recalcitrant pollutants from disturbed environs. Reviews of 80 plants used in remediation of heavy metals and 13 to remove organic compounds have been discussed in this chapter. In addition a case study pertaining to phytoremediation potential of Typha latifolia was discussed in lucid manner. The study revealed that T. latifolia is a hyperaccumulator for Pb and removes other heavy metals at good rate in disturbed environs. Therefore, the present investigation suggests that plants are capable of degrading toxic substances and should be employed for restoration of contaminated environs.