Phytoremediation of Heavy Metals- A Review

An excess level of heavy metals are exposed into environment by industrial waste and fertilizers causes serious concern in nature as they are nonbiodegradable and accumulate at high levels. Heavy metals such as Pb, Zn, Cd, As etc. are one of the most toxic pollutants which show hazardous effects on all living livings. The prevailing purification technologies used for removal of contaminants from wastewater are not only very costly but causes negative impact on ecosystem subsequently. Phytoremediation, an ecofriendly technology which is both ecologically sound and economically viable is an attractive alternative to the current cleanup methods that are very expensive. This technology involves efficient use of aquatic plants to remove, detoxify or immobilize heavy metals. The purpose of this review was to assess the current state of phytoremediation as an innovative technology and to discuss its usefulness and potential in the remediation of contaminated water.