Phytoremediation to clean up environmental spills
Overview
The rise in contaminants in the environment after the industrial revolution has led to deposition of metals, organic compounds and metalloids in high amounts in the soil. Some of the major sources of these pollutants are mining, smelting, mellaurgical industries, sewage sludge treatment, fertilizers, warfare and military training, electronic industries etc. (Padmavathiamma and Li 2007). There are several ways to remediate the soil chemically, physically, or biologically. However, chemical and physical treatments may seem to affect the soil properties heavily, affect biodiversity, make soil less fertile for plant growth and can be quiet expensive too. Phytoremediation is the most cost efficient method of remediating soil without any known side effects that could severely alter the ecosystem of the location (Padmavathiamma and Li 2007).
Table Different factors and the cost of process to remediate soil
Process
Cost (US $/ton)
Factors in affect
Vitrification
75-425
Requires monitoring over longer periods
Land Filling
100-500
Transportation and excavation of materials. Long period monitoring.
Chemical treatment
100-500
Disposal and recycling of contaminants
Electrokinetics
20-200
Monitoring over long periods
Phytoextraction
5-40
Disposal of biomass
The process of using plants to remove pollutants from the environment or reduce them to harmless levels is called phytoremediation. Phytoremediation deals with clean-up of organic and inorganic chemicals. There are four methods of phytoremediation that leads to decrease in pollutants:
1. rhizodegradation and phytodegradation
2. phytoextraction
3. rhizofiltration
4. phytovolatization,
5. phytostabilization.
Rhizodegradation and Phytodegradation are the process of degradation and metabolization of contaminants in the plants or in the soil, sediments, sludge, groundwater or surface water through enzymes produces and released by plants. The microorganisms located in the roots of
The rise in contaminants in the environment after the industrial revolution has led to deposition of metals, organic compounds and metalloids in high amounts in the soil. Some of the major sources of these pollutants are mining, smelting, mellaurgical industries, sewage sludge treatment, fertilizers, warfare and military training, electronic industries etc. (Padmavathiamma and Li 2007). There are several ways to remediate the soil chemically, physically, or biologically. However, chemical and physical treatments may seem to affect the soil properties heavily, affect biodiversity, make soil less fertile for plant growth and can be quiet expensive too. Phytoremediation is the most cost efficient method of remediating soil without any known side effects that could severely alter the ecosystem of the location (Padmavathiamma and Li 2007).
Table Different factors and the cost of process to remediate soil
Process
Cost (US $/ton)
Factors in affect
Vitrification
75-425
Requires monitoring over longer periods
Land Filling
100-500
Transportation and excavation of materials. Long period monitoring.
Chemical treatment
100-500
Disposal and recycling of contaminants
Electrokinetics
20-200
Monitoring over long periods
Phytoextraction
5-40
Disposal of biomass
The process of using plants to remove pollutants from the environment or reduce them to harmless levels is called phytoremediation. Phytoremediation deals with clean-up of organic and inorganic chemicals. There are four methods of phytoremediation that leads to decrease in pollutants:
1. rhizodegradation and phytodegradation
2. phytoextraction
3. rhizofiltration
4. phytovolatization,
5. phytostabilization.
Rhizodegradation and Phytodegradation are the process of degradation and metabolization of contaminants in the plants or in the soil, sediments, sludge, groundwater or surface water through enzymes produces and released by plants. The microorganisms located in the roots of
References: Cooney, C. M. (1996). News: Sunflowers remove radionuclides from water in ongoing phytoremediation field tests. Environmental Science & Technology, 30(5), 194A-194A. doi: 10.1021/es962219c Dushenkov, V., Kumar, P Lasat, M. M. (2000). Phytoextraction of metals from contaminated soil: a review of plant/soil/metal interaction and assessment of pertinent agronomic issues.Journal of Hazardous Substance Research, 2(5), 1-25. Lee, J. (2013). An overview of phytoremediation as a potentially promising technology for environmental pollution control. Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering, 18(3), 431-439. doi: 10.1007/s12257-013-0193-8 Natalie DeWitt , Robert Frederickson Padmavathiamma, P. K., & Li, L. Y. (2007). Phytoremediation technology: Hyper-accumulation metals in plants. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 184(1-4), 105-126. doi: 10.1007/s11270-007-9401-5 Suresh, B., & Ravishankar, G Wolfe, A. K., & Bjornstad, D. J. (2002). Why would anyone object? an exploration of social aspects of phytoremediation acceptability.Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences, 21(5), 429-438. doi: 10.1080/0735-260291044304 A citizen 's guide to phytoremediation