Phytoremediation: An Analytical Technique for the Assessment of Biodegradation of Organic Xenobiotic Pollutants: A Review

Adil Sikandar, Kiran Shehzadi, Qiraat Arshad, Komal Munir

Abstract: Phytoremediation is an emerging environmental friendly approach for remediation of contaminated sites using plants, is the matter of great attention from the past few years. Environmental problems are caused mainly due to accumulation of industrial effluents which form xenobiotants. There is an immediate need to degrade these xenobiotic compounds in an eco-friendly way. Various techniques that have been in use are microbial remediation, phytoremediation and photoremediation. Each having its own ways of degradation, and also have some impacts on the environment. This review examines the developments in the use of transgenic plants for the degradation and phytoremediation of organic xenobiotics. From last many years, considerable progress has been made to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of phytoremediation. Still the technique is not widely in use as it could be for the treatment of contaminated sites. Present studies with transgenic plants indicate that specific degradation capabilities can be added to plants for remediation of pollutants.

Keywords: Phytoremediation, Biodegradation, Xenobiotics, Pollutants