New trends for Phytoremediation Technology

Phytoremediation is an emerging technology where specially selected and engineered metal-accumulating plants to degrade, extract, contain or immobilize contaminants from soil and water. Plants can help clean up numerous sorts of contamination including metals, pesticides, explosives and oil. This technology is an innovative, cost-effective alternative to the more established treatment methods used at hazardous waste sites. Contaminated soils and waters pose a major ecological and human health problem. The cause of soil pollution are the results of the accumulation of heavy metals and metalloids through emissions from the rapidly expanding industrial areas, disposal of high metal wastes, mine tailings, leaded gasoline and paints, pesticides, waste water irrigation, land application of fertilizers, animal manures, sewage sludge, coal combustion residues, spillage of petrochemicals and atmospheric deposition.