Vol. 11, Issue 12 (2022)

Author(s):
Dr. A Geetha, K Bhavya and Dr. P Saidaiah

Abstract:
Heavy metal accumulated in soil with the progression of time, due to rapid industrialization and human intervention pose serious environmental issues and health hazards to bio systems. The persistence of heavy metal contaminants in soil due to non-biodegradable nature ultimately enter the food chain through crop plants, and eventually accumulate in many folds human body through bio magnification. Therefore, remediation of land contamination is of paramount importance. Phytoremediation is an eco-friendly approach that could be a successful mitigation measure to revegetate heavy metal-polluted soil in a cost-effective way. To improve the efficiency of phytoremediation, a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying heavy metal accumulation and tolerance in plant is indispensable. In this review, we describe the mechanisms up take of heavy metal by plants, translocation and detoxified in plants. We focus on the strategies applied to improve the efficiency of phytostabilization and phytoextraction, including the application of genetic engineering approach.