Phytoremediation of Contaminated Water, Its Mechanisms, and Advancements

As compared to existing stereotypic remediation engineering strategies, phytoremediation is an ever-evolving technology intended to target diverse contaminants. Since the entire world is experiencing water crisis, it is essential to find alternatives for treating wastewater to be reused. Plants are useful in eliminating contaminants from wastewater and thereof phytoremediation currently calls upon removing petroleum hydrocarbons, contaminating metals, metalloids, explosives, dyes, chlorinated solvents, pesticides, and by-products from various industries. The generic market driver for sustainable research in the particular area is the significant economic reduction these systems deem to afford. Plants are among the living things that may remove contaminants from wastewater, particularly those found in agricultural areas. This chapter clarifies the use of plants in this context and explores many roles that they play in the removal of pollutants from wastewater. Commercial cleanup of water-borne contaminants in shallow aquifers through phytoremediation systems is found to exist. Owing to certain limitations, for the most part, the current practices appear technically sound, but away from being optimized. The present chapter discusses the significance of plants in wastewater treatment as well as various advantages and limitations as promised by phytoremediation as a remedy for the world’s water issue.