Introduction
Phytoremediation is the process through which certain environmental problems are treated through plantations that reduce the impacts of the environmental problems on other species. Phytoremediation is advantageous because a person does not need to excavate the materials containing harmful substances, hence, makes it effective in preventing environmental degradation. In addition, the process is cost effective because plants are readily available and it is easy to metabolize the harmful molecules present. Today, there are heavy deposits of metallic substances on the ground because of the growing level of industrialization in major cities. As a result, environmentalists are heavily challenged to come up with ways that will ensure effective disposal of waste products such as phytoremediation. This paper discusses the background, progression, advancements, and the basic biology that pertains to phytoremediation.
History, Advancements, and Developments
Before the discovery of phytoremediation, physicochemical approaches were mainly used to excavate and dig sites for hazardous wastes. However, the processes were quite expensive and harmful to the environment (McIntyre 101). This prompted action from various scientists to develop plant species that could deal with the prevailing problem. Rufus L. Chaney was the first person to write about the potential of using plants to solve environmental problems in 1980. He is highly regarded as a pioneer in the area of phytoremediation. Since then, phytoremediation has been implemented in major sites in the world including mining sites (McIntyre 108).
Over the years, there have been developments that have been made aimed at improving the effectiveness of this biological process. Major advancements have been concentrated on introducing various plant species as well as mixing genes to enhance the effectiveness of a plant. Today, several scientists have been integral in installing modifications that have seen the growth of phytoremediation (Ali, Hazrat, Ezzat & Muhammad 875). In particular, the United States is one of the countries that have benefited from the progressive and continuous improvement of the technology through scientific experiments. For instance, Chaney has managed to come up with a pennycress that absorbs cadmium present in the soil within a short period of 10 minutes (Ali et al. 875). On the other hand, Michael P. Russelle, with his model of Novel alfalfa has managed to increase the absorption of nitrogen, while still in its nitrate form. In fact, his model is much more advantageous because it can work to enhance environmental management in controlling nitrates in the soil and in the water.
One of the achievements of his work includes the cleaning of North Dakota, where masses of nitrogen fertilizer had been released by tank cars. The resilience and dedication of the scientists is likely to bear fruit in the long run. As a matter of fact, scientists are currently employing the use of technology to see if genes from about 50 varieties of plant species can be brought together to ensure more stable and resilient plants in dealing with contaminants (Ali et al. 875).
Basic Biology Concerning Phytoremediation
Basically, plants have highly effective rates of metabolism because of the need to absorb nutrients in a competitive environment. As a result, they are a highly adapted. They also have a well-functioning transport system that allows the movement of nutrients and other contaminants from the surface (Dhankher & Parkash, et al 315). The whole aspect of phytoremediation involves the uptake of contaminants from the growth matrix in a process called immobilization (Rajkumar et al. 156). The process is also referred as degradation, which simply means the removal of toxins from the pollutants. It is important to note that plants have a great capacity to contain pollutants because of continued adaptation through exposure to harmful agents into the environment. Ideally, fungi and bacteria have been found to contain genetic components that turn harmful agents into non-harmful and non-dangerous forms, hence, justifying the importance of phytoremediation (Dhankher & Parkash, et al 315.
Conclusion
Phytoremediation is the use of plants to solve problems in the environment. The process was first discovered in the 1980s by scientists such as Rufus L. Chaney. Advances and developments have been made through effective use of technology to merge genes from various plants to improve their resilience. Bacteria and fungi are some of the components in a plant that have been found to reduce the negative impacts of a pollutant to the environment.
Works Cited
Ali, Hazrat, Ezzat Khan, and Muhammad Anwar Sajad. "Phytoremediation of heavy metals—
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Dhankher, Om Parkash, et al. "Biotechnological approaches for phytoremediation." Plant
Biotechnology and Agriculture, Elsevier: Amsterdam, Netherlands (2012): 309-328
McIntyre, Terry. "Phytoremediation of heavy metals from soils."Phytoremediation. Springer
Berlin Heidelberg, 2003. 97-123.
Rajkumar, M., et al. "Perspectives of plant-associated microbes in heavy metal
phytoremediation." Biotechnology Advances 30.6 (2012): 156-157
