Arsenic detoxification by phytoremediation.

ABSTRACT

Heavy metals pollution is amongst the commonest form of environmental pollution. These metals have accumulated over time from the smelting and mining activities of man, from poor waste disposal practices and from modernization. Recently the impact of heavy metal pollution of the environment is stirring up serious concerns since the discovery that some edible plants accumulate these metals to a level, toxic to both themselves and to the animals that consumes them. Common features of heavily polluted soil include barrenness, desertification, erosion, and this usually result in developmental stagnation in areas with such pollution. More researches have recently been stepped up in the field of remediating soils polluted with heavy metals. Traditional method includes excavation of the top soil, capping of the soil, stabilization of the polluting heavy metals, soil washing. In recent time, emphases have been drawn to the use of plants that has high metal accumulating and tolerating capacity to remediate metal-contaminated soil. This mini-review highlights the different conventional and recent practices in the control of heavy metal pollution.