Evaluating Phytoremediation Approaches for the Restoration of Degraded Ecosystems in India

Abstract

Plant stresses are the conditions that adversely affect the growth, development, or productivity of plants/trees and can be caused by various physical, chemical, and biological factors. On the other hand, stress brought on by heavy metal exposure significantly impairs plant development and output. These heavy metal contaminations are responsible for the harmful effects on biotic (plants and associated organisms) and the abiotic (soil, water, and air) environment. Mining operations are thought to be the main cause of heavy metal pollution in the environment if they are not adequately controlled. Phytoremediation provides an efficient, carbon-neutral, and environmentally friendly way to remove dangerous heavy metal contamination from various settings. It can efficiently treat a broad spectrum of heavy metal contaminants. Phytoremediation enhances the development and growth of plants and nourishes the environment resulting in the ill effects of climate extremes in disturbed areas and hence mitigating the impacts of climate change. Although phytoremediation has been extensively researched for the treatment of heavy metal stress, in India's damaged ecosystems, where it is most needed, it has not yet reached economic viability. Through this review article, we tried to minimize this gap by reviewing some important phytoremediation studies in India that successfully reduced the negative impacts of heavy metals in different degraded ecosystems. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) review principles were used to outline the selected studies giving a knowledge that most of the phytoremediation works in India have been performed on Shrubs (28.40%) closely followed by Tree species (26.28%) then in Herbs (17.65%), Grasses (17.25%) and Aquatic Plants (10.43%). Also, the trend has seen a spike after 2018 with most phytoremediation studies in the state of West Bengal. The studies reviewed in this article show us a pathway for implementing and managing remediation methods to reduce the heavy metal stress exerted on plants and enhance the metabolic and physiochemical processes of the plant.