Phytoremediation: An Alternative approach for the Restoration of Heavy metal Polluted sites
Tanweer Shumail1 and Sazada Siddiqui1
1Department of Biological Sciences. King Khalid University, Abha K. S. A *Corresponding Author: Tanweer Shumail, Department of Biological Sciences. King Khalid University, Female Section, Al-samer District, P.O. 3340, ABHA, K.S.A E-mail : tanweer.shumail@gmail.com.
ABSTRACT
Heavy metal contamination of soil, aqueous streams and groundwater are increasing day by day because of increased industrialization and urbanization. In the present time, it is a major environment and human health problem. The conventional method to remedy problem has their own drawbacks. However, phytoremediation that is an emerging technology for the clean-up of contaminated environment can play a pivotal role in the heavy metal detoxification. This method, which uses plants to extract sequester or detoxification pollutions, is environmentally friendly and visually attractive and the structure of the soil is highly maintained. Thlaspi caerulescens and Viola calaminaria are plants. Which were first documented for the first time at the end of 19 the century for their high metal accumulating properties in the leaves. There are several other plants like Brassica, Sunflower, Ipomea, Polycarpia, Dunaliella, Astragalus, Hydrilla, Spirodela, Eichhornia which are able to accumulate heavy metals in their different organs and this list is increasing day by day. In the last decades, extensive researches have been conducted to investigate the biology of metal phytoextraction. Transgenic plants have been prepared for the increased efficiency of phytoremediation. Looking to its significance, a better understanding of the biochemical process involved in plants heavy metal uptake transport, accumulation and resistance is required that will help in system improvement in phytoremediation. Also, there growing need to optimize the organic practices to maximize the clean-up potential of remediative plants. As a chief renewable resource exploited by mankind, plants already give us food, energy, constriction materials, natural fiber and several other things, the use of plants in environmental cleanup assurance to a cleaner and greener world for all of us to live in.