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What is Bioremediation Process and its Types
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Phytoremediation is another form of bioremediation involving plants. In recent times an increasing trend in land, surface and groundwater contamination from industrial and agricultural activities is becoming a major concern. Toxic environmental pollutants, including radionuclides, heavy metals, pesticides in soil, surface and ground water possess a major threat to the ecosystems. Conventional remediation practices of contaminated sites are often not useful due to limited potential, applicability to limited areas and huge cost. Moreover, these conventional techniques destroy the microenvironment often making the soil unsuitable for agriculture and infertile. Therefore, there is an emerging need to develop environmentally sound technologies (ESTs) considering the probable end use of the remediated site.
Let’s have a quick look at the Phytoremediation process
Phytoremediation is the process of removal; contaminated sites with plants alleviate environmental problems in a more ecofriendly manner.
It is a cost effective cleanup technique driven by solar energy, mostly useful in treating a wide range of environmental contaminants without generating toxic sludge.
Phytoremediation technique efficiently uses plant through their biological, chemical or physical processes for the removal, detoxification and/or immobilization of toxic contaminants in water soil and sediments. Plant systems are uniquely equipped with remarkable ability to adsorb along with transport systems that selectively takes up contaminants from water or soil. Growing plants are used in the process of phytoremediation at a contaminated site for a required period of growth to facilitate immobilisation, binding or detoxification of the pollutants. There are various ways that plants are used to remediate polluted sites. Plants have the ability to degrade organic contaminants and can stabilize heavy metals by acting as filters.
Plants primarily uptake contaminants through the root system, in which resides the principle mechanism of toxicity control. The enormous surface area is provided by the root system that helps in the absorption and accumulation of nutrients and water along with the non-essential toxic contaminants. Some plants can better remove contaminants as compared to others. Plants should therefore be suitably selected for the phytoremediation process so that they must be able to tolerate the various concentrations and types of pollutants present as well as withstand the climate of the area concerned. Another major concern is the depth of contamination. Grasses and ferns are used in the shallow contaminated region, whereas trees are used to remediate deeper contaminated and groundwater.
Phytoremediation therefore is an alternative technology that is applicable instead of conventional mechanical removal techniques that are energy and labour intensive and require huge capital inputs. It is an in situ technology for remediation utilizing the inherent potentiality of plants in environmental cleanup. It is an attractive, safe and low-risk method of remediation. Remediation with plants makes a site quite attractive. It is always advisable to use native plants as they are better adapted to the condition of the concerned region.
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RE: What is Bioremediation Process and its Types - by debram - 10-06-2014, 03:10 PM
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