Abstract

Agricultural soil contamination through heavy metal is the most common event due to the indiscriminate use of agrochemicals and associated anthropogenic activities. The soil is losing the carrying capacity to supply essential nutrient elements due to adverse interaction with the toxic elements and soil microorganisms. The environmental contamination, biomagnification of food chain and associated health risk is the major concern in recent decades seriously affecting the soil health and future generations. In this scenario, phytoremediation is a green approach to tackle the soil contamination and reversing soil degradation. Plant response to heavy metal and efficacy of remediation of contaminated soil depends on plant and soil characteristics. In this context, hyperaccumulator plants can be effectively used to extract and remove large concentrations of toxic metals from the contaminated systems. Traditional methods of phyto-remediation approaches are not economical and not suitable for the large area decontamination, however hyperaccumulators are promising that can be integrated with the efficient microbes for better results. In the recent advancement of genetic engineering approach to develop transgenic plants with characters of high biomass production, more metal accumulation, tolerance against metal toxicity and well adapted to a variety of climatic conditions might be more beneficial in this respect. Other more modern methods of phytoremediation include chemically aided phytoextraction andmicrobes assisted phytoremediation using potential endophytic microorganisms to decontaminate polluted soils on large scales.

• 1.   Ali, H., Khan, E. and Ilahi, I., 2019. Environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology of hazardous heavy metals: environmental persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulation. Journal of chemistry, 2019 p.6730305.
• 2.   Bhattacharya, S., Gupta, K., Debnath, S., Ghosh, U.C., Chattopadhyay, D. and Mukhopadhyay, A., 2012. Arsenic bioaccumulation in rice and edible plants and subsequent transmission through food chain in Bengal basin: a review of the perspectives for environmental health. Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry, 94(3), pp.429-441.
• 3.   Chaney, R. L. 1983. Plant uptake of inorganic waste constituents. In: (Parr, J. F., Marsh, P. B., and Kla, J. M., Eds.) Land Treatment of Hazardous Wastes. p. 50-76. Noyes Data Corp., Park Ridge, NJ.
• 4.   Dimkpa, C.O., Merten, D., Svatoš, A., Büchel, G. and Kothe, E., 2009. Metal-induced oxidative stress impacting plant growth in contaminated soil is alleviated by microbial siderophores. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 41(1), pp.154-162.
• 5.   Fayiga, A.O. and Ma, L.Q., 2006. Using phosphate rock to immobilize metals in soil and increase arsenic uptake by hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata. Science of the Total Environment, 359(1-3), pp.17-25.
• 6.   Garbisu, C. and Alkorta, I., 2001. Phytoextraction: a cost-effective plant-based technology for the removal of metals from the environment. Bioresource technology, 77(3), pp.229-236.
• 7.   Kumar, P.N., Dushenkov, V., Motto, H. and Raskin, I., 1995. Phytoextraction: the use of plants to remove heavy metals from soils. Environmental science & technology, 29(5), pp.1232-1238.
• 8.   Lone, M.I., He, Z.L., Stoffella, P.J. and Yang, X.E., 2008. Phytoremediation of heavy metal polluted soils and water: progresses and perspectives. Journal of Zhejiang University Science B, 9(3), pp.210-220.
• 9.   Ma LQ, Komar KM, Tu C, Zhang W, Cai Y, Kennelley ED (2001) A fern that hyperaccumulates arsenic. Nature 411:438
• 10.   Mahimairaja, S., Bolan, N.S., Adriano, D.C. and Robinson, B., 2005. Arsenic contamination and its risk management in complex environmental settings. Advances in Agronomy, 86, pp.1-82.
• 11.   Mirsal, I.A., 2008. Soil pollution (pp. 117-136). Berlin: Springer.
• 12.   Neeraj, A., Hiranmai, R.Y. and Iqbal, K., 2023. Comprehensive assessment of pollution indices, sources apportionment and ecological risk mapping of heavy metals in agricultural soils of Raebareli District, Uttar Pradesh, India, employing a GIS approach. Land Degradation & Development, 34(1), pp.173-195.
• 13.   Prasad, M.N.V., Hagemeyer, J., Saxena, P.K., KrishnaRaj, S., Dan, T., Perras, M.R. and Vettakkorumakankav, N.N., 1999. Phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated and polluted soils. Heavy metal stress in plants: from molecules to ecosystems, pp.305-329.
• 14.   Pulford, I.D. and Watson, C., 2003. Phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated land by trees—a review. Environment international, 29(4), pp.529-540.
• 15.   Purakayastha, T.J. and Chhonkar, P.K., 2010. Phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils. Soil heavy metals, pp.389-429.
• 16.   Rascio, N. and Navari-Izzo, F., 2011. Heavy metal hyperaccumulating plants: how and why do they do it? And what makes them so interesting?. Plant science, 180(2), pp.169-181.
• 17.   Reiser, R., Simmler, M., Portmann, D., Clucas, L., Schulin, R. and Robinson, B., 2014. Cadmium concentrations in New Zealand pastures: relationships to soil and climate variables. Journal of Environmental Quality, 43(3), pp.917-925.
• 18.   Remon, E., Bouchardon, J.L., Cornier, B., Guy, B., Leclerc, J.C. and Faure, O., 2005. Soil characteristics, heavy metal availability and vegetation recovery at a former metallurgical landfill: Implications in risk assessment and site restoration. Environmental Pollution, 137(2), pp.316-323.

Data Sharing Statement

Funding