After reading this article you will learn about the phytoremediation of plants.
Phytoremediation is an emerging technology which involves the use of different types of plants to degrade extract, contain, or immobilize contaminants from the soil and water. In recent years, phytoremediation has been used at a number of sites in the United States and other countries including India.
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Phytoremediation can be applied to both organic and inorganic pollutants, present in solid substrates (e.g. soil), liquid substrates (e.g. water), and the air.
Phytoremediation is currently divided into the following areas:
1. Phytodegradation:
The use of plants and associated microorganisms to degrade organic pollutants;
2. Rhizofiltration:
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The use of plant roots to absorb and adsorb pollutants, mainly metals, from water and aqueous waste streams;
3. Phytostabilization:
The use of plants to reduce the bioavailability of pollutants in the environment;
4. Phytovolatilization:
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The use of plants to volatilize pollutants; and.
5. The use of plant to remove pollutants from air.
Use of phytoremediation at hazardous waste sites should be carefully evaluated and studied prior to implementation of this emerging technology.
As a result of the early information provided by some research and reported by the media, site owners and citizen groups are generally interested in phytoremediation as a clean and cheap technology that may be employed for remediating selected hazardous waste sites.
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Although current research continues to explore and push the boundaries of phytoremediation applications, there are certain limitations to plant-based remediation systems.
Root contact is a primary limitation on phytoremediation applicability. Remediation with plants requires that contaminants be in contact with the root zone of the plants. Either the plants must be able to extend roots to the contaminants or the contaminated media must be brought within range of the plants.
This movement can be accomplished with standard agricultural equipment and practices such as deep plowing to bring soil from 60-90 cm depth to within 20-25 cm inches of the surface for shallow rooted crops and grasses, or by irrigating trees and grasses with contaminated groundwater or wastewater.
Because activities can generate fugitive dust and volatile organic compound emissions, potential risks may need to be evaluated. The effective root depth of plants vanes according to species and depends upon the soil and climatic condition.