Plants for saving the environment- Phytoremediation

Abstract

A large part of the civilizational progress has been achieved at the expense of the natural environment, which recently reached the stages that threaten its creator. Plants play an important role in various areas of our lives, and it turned out that we can rely on them to reduce this threat. The ability of living organisms and the systems they create to protect and restore the environment is at the core of a technology called environmental biotechnology. Advances in science and technology have created a plant-based discipline known as phytoremediation. This technology allows us to remove or reduce the level of pollutants in our surroundings. We can phytoextract heavy metals from contaminated soil and water with the help of resistant plant species and recover noble metals and rare elements. When the soil or water is contaminated with organic compounds, we try to eliminate them completely with the help of plants and their microbiome. Phytoextraction from water is related to the accumulation of pollutants in water and sediments, in which macrophytes from all water groups participate, including free-floating submerged and emerged plants. The task of these plants, apart from the accumulation of metals or organic toxins, is also the uptake of phosphorus and nitrogen to prevent the eutrophication of water. In recent years, the quality of air has deteriorated. Nowadays, 90% of the population breathes air that does not meet WHO standards. It should be emphasized that in the case of outdoor air, there is no industrial system for removing pollutants. In fact, we can only count on nature: rainfall and plants. Indoor air is sometimes even more polluted than outside and, therefore, we should be safe in it with the help of plants that are able to create a refuge. Additionally, it fulfills biofilling desires and improves our mood.