Phytoremediation - A technique to Remediate elements and compounds from the environment

PHYTOREMEDIATION 

Ø  PHYTOREMEDIATION (FROM ANCIENT GREEK ΦΥΤΟ (PHYTO), MEANING "PLANT", AND LATIN REMEDIUM, MEANING "RESTORING BALANCE") DESCRIBES THE TREATMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS (BIOREMEDIATION) THROUGH THE USE OF PLANTS THAT MITIGATE THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM WITHOUT THE NEED TO EXCAVATE THE CONTAMINANT MATERIAL AND DISPOSE OF IT ELSEWHERE.

Ø  THE PRESENT COMMUNICATION DEALS WITH THE PHYTOREMEDIATION OF HEAVY METALS FROM THE POLLUTED SOIL. ON ACCOUNT OF INCREASING INDUSTRIALIZATION , OUR ENVIRONMENT IS BEING POLLUTED DUE TO VARIOUS END PRODUCTS THAT ARE LIBERATED IN THE FORM OF EFFLUENTS.

Ø  PHYTOREMEDIATION IS AN INNOVATIVE AND IDEAL ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR REMOVING POLLUTENTS FROM THE ENVIRONMENT WHICH HAS BEEN RECENTLY DEVELOPED IN THIS NEW RECENT GENERATION.

Ø  POLLUENTS IS TAKEN UP BY THE PLANTS AND TRANSFORMED IN PLANTS TISSUES (TO BE EFFECTIVE MUST BE TRANSFORMED TO A LESS TOXIC FORM).

Ø  TRICHLOROETHYLENE (TCE), A PREVALANT GROUND WATER CONTAMINANT, TRANSFORMED TO ALESS TOXIC METABOLITE BY USING HYBRID POPLAR TREE.

Ø  IN THE PHYTOREMEDIATION PROCESS CERTAIN PLANT AND TREES ARE PLANTED ,WHERE ROOTS ABSORB CONTAMINANTS FROM GROUNDS.

Ø  TRI CHLOROETHYLENE (TCE), A PREVALENT GROUND CONTAMINATION  ( TRANSFORMED TO LESS TOXIC METABOLITES BY USING HYBRID POPULAR TREE).

Ø  TOXIC HEAVY METALS AND ORGANIC POLLUTANTS ARE THE MAJOR TARGETS FOR PHYTOREMEDIATION.

Ø  FEW PLANTS USED IN THIS PROCESS ARE CHINESE LADDER FERN (PTERIS VITTATA), IS A HIGHLY EFFICIENT ACCUMULATOR OF ARSENIC .

Ø  COTTONWOOD TREES ARE GOOD ABSORBER OF MERCURY.

Ø  TRANSGENIC INDIAN MUSTARD PLANTS SOAK UP SELINIUM.

Ø  MANY PLANTS SUCH AS MUSTARD PLANT , ALPINE PENNYCRESS, HEMP AND PIGWEED HAVE PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT HYPER ACCUMULATING CONTAMINANTS AT TOXIC SITES.

Ø  POLLUTANT TAKEN BY THE PLANT AND TRANSFORMED IN PLANT TISSUES.

                          

DIFFERENT FORM OF PHYTOREMEDIATION

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Ø  PHYTOEXTRACTION.

Ø  RHIZOFILTRATION.

Ø  PHYTOSTABILIZATION.

Ø  PHYTODEGREDATION.

Ø  PHYTOVOLATILIZATION.

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ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF PHYTOREMEDIATION -

v  ADVANTAGE-

ü  COST EFFECTIVE WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER MORE CONVENTIONAL METHOD.

ü  NATURAL METHOD , MORE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING.

ü  REDUCES POTENTIAL FOR TRANSPORT OF CONTAMINANTS BY WIND/ SOIL EROSION.

ü  IT IS ONE OF THE LEAST HARMFULL METHOD.

ü  THE POSIBILITY OF RECOVERY AND REUSE OF VALUABLE METALS. ( PHYTO MINING).

v  DISADVANTAGE-

ü  SLOW RATE PROCESS.

ü  POSSIBILITY OF CONTAMINATED PLANTS ENTERING THE FOOD CHAIN.

ü  TREE AND PLANTS REQUIRE CARE.

ü  CONTAMINANT MIGHT KILL THE TREE.

ü  DEGRADATION PRODUCT WOULD BE WORSE THAN ORIGINAL CONTAMINANTS.

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