Biosorption potential of basella Alba (Malabar spinach) for removal of fluoride in aqueous solutions based on its phytoremediation applications; a review.

Abstract

This review article explores the applications of Basella alba (Malabar spinach), a fast-growing vine plant known for its numerous health benefits, culinary uses, and potential in dye and oil production. Fluoride contamination in water poses a significant global health and environmental challenge, particularly in regions where natural and industrial activities lead to elevated fluoride levels. Among its varied applications, B. alba has shown significant promise in the phytoremediation of contaminants in both water and soil, owing to its hyper accumulating capacities. The plant has a transfer factor value of more than 1 which means that there is higher accumulation of contaminants in parts of the plant than in soil. The objective of this review is to assess the feasibility of B. alba in contributing to sustainable water management solutions for fluoride contamination, while offering a comprehensive evaluation of its environmental remediation potential. The article examines the biosorption capabilities of B. alba based on its established use in phytoremediation, offering insights into its suitability for addressing fluoride contamination in water. This article is organized into sections starting with an introduction, which brings explains the global challenge of fluoride, and different treatment techniques justifying why biosorption needs to be considered, cases of application of phytoremediation using B. Alba, and finally exploring the success factors for plants that have been applied for both biosorption and phytoremediation.