Phytoremediation Approaches for the Detoxification of Heavy Metals in Water

Abstract: The swift advancement of urbanization and industrialization has led to heavy metal pollution emerging as a significant environmental concern. Drinking water contaminated with heavy metals such as Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn, and Hg presents a serious health threat to humans. Heavy metals are non-biodegradable, remaining in the environment, entering the food chain through crops, and accumulating in the human body via biomagnification. The toxicity caused by heavy metals involves mechanisms like the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), disruption of antioxidant defenses, enzyme inactivation, and oxidative stress. Additionally, certain metals have the ability to bind with specific macromolecules. Traditional methods for addressing heavy metal pollution are not always fully effective in removing water contaminants. Phytoremediation, a relatively new technology, is increasingly acknowledged as a cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally sustainable method for extracting heavy metals from contaminated water. Aquatic plants play a crucial role in phytoremediation as they take up pollutants through their roots and, in some cases, through their leaves. Notable examples of these plants include water hyacinth, duckweed, and various submerged species such as milkweed and waterwort. These plants absorb pollutants including heavy metals, nutrients, and organic compounds, thus improving water quality. This review explores the processes through which plants absorb, transport, and detoxify heavy metals. Aquatic phytoremediation focuses on employing plants to purify pollutants in water bodies, with strategies designed to enhance plant stabilization and removal.

Keywords: heavy metals, contaminants, pollutants, phytoremediation