Phytoremediation
in: Integrated Perspectives in Agriculture and Biology: Theory and Practice, Hülya Doğan,Hatice Baş, Editor, Özgür Yayınları, Gaziantep, pp.75-88, 2025
- Publication Type: Book Chapter / Chapter Vocational Book
- Publication Date: 2025
- Publisher: Özgür Yayınları
- City: Gaziantep
- Page Numbers: pp.75-88
- Editors: Hülya Doğan,Hatice Baş, Editor
- Yozgat Bozok University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
With the rapid growth of the global population, demands for food, water, and
energy have led to significant environmental stress. Heavy metals, organic
pollutants, waste (oil, solvents), military activities (explosives, chemical
weapons), agricultural chemicals (pesticides, herbicides), and industrial
waste (chemicals, petrochemicals) resulting from agricultural activities and
industrialization cause serious environmental pollution. Phytoremediation is
a technique that uses plants to remove, transform, evaporate, or fix these
pollutants found in air, soil, water, sludge, and sediments. Phytoremediation
is an effort to remediate contaminated areas using nature’s own mechanisms.
Pollutants can be taken up by plants, degraded within the plant or in the plant
root zone, retained through conjugation, or vaporized.
Phytoremediation offers a green alternative to traditional physical and
chemical cleaning methods with its low cost, direct use of solar energy, and
ability to restore habitats. Thanks to these natural mechanisms, plants not
only contribute aesthetically and ecologically to human life but also play
an active role in combating pollution from industrial activities. This review
provides general information about phytoremediation.