Book

Soil contamination by heavy metals, primarily resulting from anthropogenic activities, remains a significant environmental challenge, affecting soil health, agricultural productivity, and posing serious risks to human health via the food chain. The escalating issue of soil pollution has spurred interest in bioremediation strategies, among which phytoremediation stands out as a promising, eco-friendly, and cost-effective approach. This technology, leveraging the natural ability of plants to absorb and accumulate heavy metals, is gaining acceptance due to its sustainability and minimal environmental impact, making it an attractive solution for environmental engineers and soil scientists. Hyperaccumulators, including certain invasive plant species, offer a feasible and economical means to extract toxic metal ions from contaminated soils. However, the process is not without limitations. One significant challenge is the toxicity of heavy metals to plants, which can hinder their growth and efficiency in remediation efforts. Furthermore, many metals in the soil are present in forms that are not readily bioavailable to plants, complicating the extraction process. To overcome these challenges, various strategies have been developed to enhance the phytoremediation process. These include soil amendments to increase the bioavailability of metals, the genetic modification of plants to improve their tolerance and uptake, and the application of phytotechnology’s to accelerate detoxification. This book delves into the mechanisms underlying the absorption and translocation of heavy metals by plants, with particular focus on the role of invasive plant species in enhancing phytoremediation efficiency. Additionally, we explore the challenges and ongoing innovations in the field, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of the potential and limitations of phytoremediation as an environmental restoration technique.