Phytoremediation of Chemical Pollutants and Heavy Metals by Higher Plants

Heavy metals have been rapidly accumulating in soil due to several factors, including both natural and human (industrial) causes. The nondegradability of heavy metals by microbes is a worrisome issue since it leads to their persistence in the environment. These metals may also penetrate food plants and, if consumed in significant quantities, can biomagnify in human population. Since heavy metals are toxic, they pose a serious threat to human and environmental health. That is why it is so important to clean up dirty places. Phytoremediation, when used on soil polluted with heavy metals, has the potential to be an effective technique for reducing contamination. To enhance the effectiveness of phytoremediation, it is crucial to understand the processes by which plants accumulate and tolerate heavy metals. In this survey, we talk about the biochemical routes that plants take to take in, translocate, and flush out harmful metals. This article focuses on how genetic engineering, microbes, or chelate-assisted approaches have been employed to improve the efficiency of phytostabilization and phytoextraction.