Environmental pollutants and their remediation using medicinal and aromatic plants

Abstract

Phytoremediation, the use of green plants for the treatment and management of water, soil, and air pollutants, is an important part of the new field of environmental engineering. This chapter briefly elucidates the benefits of using medicinal and aromatic plants for remediation of contaminated sites. Phytoremediation is of utmost importance to deal with the problem of pollution. Aromatic plants can be utilized for remediation of contaminated sites because they are nonfood crops, hence reducing the risk of food chain contamination. Phytoremediation provides a cost-effective and sustainable way to improve the economies of developing countries. Large-scale commercialization of this technology requires more research and knowledge and makes food security more stable and the land a more pleasant place. Numerous medicinal and aromatic plant species, which have been described by many researchers, having the potential to remediate contaminated sites are listed in this report.