Research Advances in Bioremediation of Soils and Groundwater Using Plant-Based Systems: A Case for Enlarging and Updating Information and Knowledge in Environmental Pollution Management in Developing Countries

Abstract

Soil and groundwater are important components of agricultural and renewable natural resource (RNR) production systems. These components and production systems are influenced directly and/or indirectly by anthropogenic activities. Many of these activities have series of impacts, the negative ones being through the generation and deposition of xenobiotics that are dangerous to life forms, onto and/ or into the soil and groundwater. Although, it may be difficult and/or expensive to remove these toxic substances from the environment in most countries, most especially the developing ones and particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) using the available remediation technologies, owing to different levels of economic constraints and/or quality of research. The documented researches have shown that the growth and physiological characteristics of certain species of plants can be applied in cheap, adoptable, and adaptable ways, for removing toxic substances from the environment through processes collectively known as bioremediation. Bioremediation has been identified as a feasible choice for removing the noxious substances. These production systems are central to livelihoods and survival in many developing countries, SSA in particular. The remediation technologies can be used for cleaning up the environment, soil, and groundwater, in ways that is expected to benefit the present and future environmental and socio-economic conditions of users. The present review is focused on the use of various methods of plant-assisted bioremediation processes for soil and groundwater remediation, in many parts of the world, for the benefit of and its adoption/adaptation in the developing countries.