Review on Utilization of Plants for the Phytoremidiation Purpose on Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution in the soil has been the main environmental problems in recent years all over the world. Heavy metals that are commonly contaminating soil include lead, chromium, arsenic, zinc, cadmium, copper, mercury and nickel. The main sources of these metals are dust produced by energy, transport, metallurgy, production of construction materials; sanitary sewage, chemical wastewater, industrial mining wastewater and urban mining mixed sewage; mining and industrial solid waste contamination, Fertilizers and pesticides are important agricultural inputs for agricultural production and there is a growing public concern over the potential accumulation of heavy metals in soil owing to rapid industrial development and also the heavy metals pollution is one of the problems that arise due to the increased uses of fertilizers and other chemicals to meet the higher demands of food production for human consumption. Heavy metals exhibit toxic effects towards soil biota by affecting key microbial processes and decrease the number and activity of soil microorganisms. Even low concentration of heavy metals may inhibit the physiological metabolism of plant. Plants growing on these soils show a reduction in growth, performance, and yield. Uptake of heavy metals by plants and subsequent accumulation along the food chain is a potential threat to animal and poses serious health risks to humans. To overcome the problem phytoremediation using of plants to reduce the concentrations or toxic effects of heavy metal contaminants in the environments and relatively recent technology which perceived as cost-effective, efficient remedy of soils by improving phisico-chemical of the soil with cheap and practically acceptable techniques.

Keywords: Contaminants, Heavy metal, Phytoremediation, Soil, Toxic

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/9-6-03