PHYTOREMEDIATION

PHYTOREMEDIATION
• Phytoremediation is an emerging ‘green bioengineering technology’
that uses plants to remediate environmental problems.
• Green plants (both aquatic and terrestrial) have the wonderful properties
of environmental restoration, such as decontamination of polluted soil
and water. [3]

• They are aesthetically pleasing, passive, solar-energy driven and

pollution abating nature’s (green) technology meeting the same
objectives conventional technology and thus becoming a cost-effective,
non-intrusive, and a safe alternative.

• They thrive in very harsh environmental conditions of soil and water;

absorb, tolerate, transfer, assimilate, degrade and stabilise highly toxic
materials (heavy metals and organics such as solvents, crude oil,
pesticides, explosives and polyaromatic hydrocarbons) from the polluted
soil and water.[3]

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Phytoremediation mechanisms
Phytoextraction

Phytostabilization

Phytoremediation Phytotransformation

Phytostimulation
Phytovolatilization

Rhizofiltration
1. Phytoextraction

Definition: The uptake of contaminants by plant roots and

movement of these contaminants from roots to the
above part of plants - by absorbing, concentrating and
precipitating the contaminants.

http://www.biology-online.org/js/tiny_mce/plugins/imagemanager/files/boa001/phytoremediationf03.JPG
Phytoextraction

Two ways for phytoextraction: Natural and

assisted
● Natural: where plants naturally take
up contaminants from the soil - unassisted
● Assisted: use of chelating agents,
microbes and plant hormones to mobilize
and accelerate contaminant uptake.

➔ Uptake of contaminants also accelerated

by use of hyperaccumulators
e.g Thlaspi caerulescens
Phytoextraction
Phytoextraction (or phytoaccumulation or phytomining) uses plants or algae
to remove contaminants from soils, sediments or water into harvestable
plant biomass (organisms that take larger-than- normal amounts of
contaminants from the soil are called hyperaccumulators)

Phytoextraction, or phytomining, is the process of planting a crop of a

species that is known to accumulate contaminants in the shoots and leaves
of the plants, and then harvesting the crop and removing the contaminant
from the site.The harvested plant tissue, rich in accumulated contaminant, is
easily and safely processed by drying, ashing or composting.

Addition of synthetic chelates has been shown to stimulate the release of

metals into soil solution and enhance the potential for uptake into roots. A
variety of synthetic chelates have this potential to induce Pb desorption from
the soil matrix. Their effectiveness, in decreasing order is EDTA > HEDTA >DTPA
>EGTA
>EDDHA. This is known as Assisted Phytoextraction.
Phytoextraction
Advantages:
● Cost is fairly inexpensive
compared to conventional
methods.
● Contaminant permanently
removed from soil.
● Amount of waste material that
must be disposed of is
decreased up to 95%
● In some cases,
contaminant can be
recycled.
Limitations:
•Metal bioavailability within the
rhizosphere.
•Rate of metal uptake by
roots.
•Proportion of metal “fixed”
within the roots.
•Cellular tolerance to toxic
metals.
2. Phytostabilization

Figure 9: Phytostabilization of organic & inorganic compounds [4]

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Phytostabilization

Definition: Refers to the immobilization of contaminants in

the soil through:
○ absorption and accumulation by roots,
○ precipitation within the roots.

● Eventually, the mobility of the contaminant is

reduced, migration to groundwater is prevented and
thus bioavailability of metal into food chain is
reduced.
Phytostabilization

Advantages: Disadvantages:
● No disposal of ● Contaminant remain in
hazardous material / soil
biomass is required ● Application of
● Very effective when extensive fertilisation /
rapid immobilization is soil amendments
needed to preserve ● Mandatory monitoring
ground and surface required
waters
3. Phytotransformation

Definition: Also known as

phytodegradation, it is the breakdown of
contaminants taken up plants by
metabolic processes within the plant.

● Remediate some organic

contaminants, such as chlorinated
solvents, herbicides, and munitions

● It can address contaminants in

soil, sediment, or groundwater.
Phytodegradation

Figure 6: Phytodegradation of organic & inorganic compounds [4]

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► Phytodegradation

Phytodegradation, also called phyto-transformation, is the breakdown of

contaminants taken up by plants through metabolic processes within the plant,
or the breakdown of contaminants surrounding the plant through the effect of
compounds (such as enzymes) produced by the plants. Complex organic
pollutants are degraded into simpler molecules and are incorporated into the
plant tissues to help the plant grow faster .

Plant enzymes used for the degradation

include nitroreductases (degradation of
nitroaromatic compounds), dehalogenases
(degradation of chlorinated solvents and
pesticides) and laccases (degradation of
anilines). Populus species and Myriophyllium
spicatum are examples of plants that have
these enzymatic systems .
Phytotransformation

Advantage: Disadvantages:
● Both ● Requires more than one
economically and growing season to be efficient
environmentally
● Soil must be less than 1 m in
friendly
depth and groundwater within 3
m of the surface
● Contaminants may still re-enter
the food chain through animals
or insects that eat plant material
4. Phytostimulation (Rhizodegradation)
Definition: Breakdown of contaminants
within the plant root zone, or
rhizosphere.

● Carried out by bacteria or other

microorganisms flourishing in the
rhizosphere.
● Microbes in rhizosphere transform
contaminant to non toxic product.
● Works well in the removal of
petroleum hydrocarbons
Rhizodegradation
Rhizodegradation,
also known as
phyto-stimulation, is
the degradation of
contaminants in the
rhizosphere (area of
soil surrounding the
roots of the plants)
by means of
microbial activity
which is enhanced
by the presence of
plant roots.

Figure 8: Rhizodegradation of organic compounds [4]

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Phytostimulation

•Phyto-stimulation also called Rhizodegradation or plant-assisted

bioremediation
/degradation, is the breakdown of contaminants in the rhizosphere (soil
surrounding the roots of plants) through microbial activity that is
enhanced by the presence of plant roots and is a much slower process
than phytodegradation.

•Certain micro-organisms can digest organic substances such as fuels or

solvents that are hazardous to humans and break them down into
harmless products in a process called biodegradation. Natural substances
released by the plant roots – sugars, alcohols, and acids – contain organic
carbon that provides food for soil microorganisms and the additional
nutrients enhance their activity.
 Phytostimulation

Advantages: Disadvantages:
● in situ practice resulting ● Development of extensive
in no disturbance root zone required- takes
● No removal of time
contaminated materials ● Root depth limited due to
● Complete mineralisation physical structure of soil
of the contaminant can ● Organic matter from plant
occur may be used as a C
● Low installation and source instead of
maintenance cost contaminant -> decrease
amount of contaminant
5. Phytovolatilization

Definition: Involves plants taking up contaminants from soil,

transforming them into volatile forms and transpiring them
into atmosphere
● Works on organic compounds and heavy metal
contaminants, TCE as well.
● Mercury is the primary metal
contaminant that this process has
been used for.
Phyto-volatilization

Figure 5: Phyto-volitilization of organic compounds [4]

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0
Phytovolatilization

Phytovolatilisation is the uptake and transpiration of a

contaminant by a plant, with release of the contaminant or
a modified form of the contaminant from the plant to the
atmosphere. Phytovolatilisation occurs as growing trees and
other plants take up water and the organic contaminants.
Some of these contaminants can pass through the plants to
the leaves and evaporate, or volatilise, into the atmosphere.
Poplar trees at one particular study site have been shown
to volatilise 90% of the TCE they take up.
Phytovolatilization

Advantage: Disadvantage:
•The contaminant, mercuric •The mercury released into
ion, may be transformed the atmosphere is likely to
into a less toxic substance be recycled by precipitation
(i.e., elemental Hg). and then re-deposited back
into lakes and oceans,
repeating the production of
methyl-mercury by
anaerobic bacteria.
6. Rhizofiltration

Definition: Adsorption or precipitation onto plant roots or

absorption of contaminants in the solution surrounding the
root zone.

● Used to remediate extracted groundwater, surface

water, and waste water with low contaminants.
● Compared to phytoextraction, here the plants are used
to address the groundwater rather than soil.
Rhizofiltration

The technique of rhizofiltration is used for the remediation of

waste water by aquatic or land plants (Henry, 2000).
Pb, Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn and Cr can be extracted using rhizofiltration
by sunflower, tobacco, spinach, rye and Indian mustard.
Plant species besides hyperaccumulators can also be used, as
the heavy metals need not be translocated to the shoots
(Henry, 2000).
Terrestrial plants are widely preferred for rhizofiltration as
they have fibrous root systems with fast growth.
The rhizofiltration technique can be constructed either as
floating rafts on ponds or as tank systems.
Rhizofiltration

Disadvantages:
Advantages:
● Constant need to adjust pH
● Ability to use both terrestrial and
aquatic plants for either in situ optimum.
and ex situ applications.
● Plants may first need to be grown
● Contaminants do not have to be
translocated into shoots. in greenhouse for nursery and
then transferring them to the
remediation site.

● There is periodic harvesting

and plant disposal.

● Tank design should be well

engineered.
How they achieve it….
• The symbiotic relationships
between their basic components,
aquatic plants, microorganisms,
algae, substrates and water they
have the ability to remove
organic and inorganic matter,
nutrients, pathogens, heavy
metals and other pollutants from
wastewater in a completely
natural way.[3]

• The plants species like, cattails,

bulrushes, reeds and aquatic
plants like water hyacinths,
pennywort, and duckweed
were found useful.

Figure 10: Pathway of Contaminants through the Plant [6]

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Inside the Plant Cell-wall….

Figure 11: Pathway of Contaminants inside the Plant Cell wall [6]
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Type and Contaminants…..
Table 1:- Summary of Phytotechnology Applications [4]
Mechanism Media Typical contaminants
Phytostablization Soils, sediments, Sludges. As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn
Rhizodegradation Soils, sediments, sludges,
groundwater.
Phytoaccumulation Soils, sediments,
sludges
Phytodegradation Soils, sediments, sludges,
groundwater, surface water
Phytovolatization Soils,sediments,
sludges,groundwater
Evapotranspiration Groundwater,surface,storm
water
Plants Types
Herbaceous species, grasses,
trees, wetland species.
Organic compounds (TPH, Herbaceous species, grasses,
PAHs, BTEX) pesticides, trees, wetland species.
chlorinated solvents,(PCBs)
Metals: Ag, Au, Cd, Co, Cr, Herbaceous species, grasses,
Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni. Pb. Zn. trees, wetland species.
Organic compounds, Algae, herbaceous species,
chlorinated solvents, grasses, trees, wetland species
phenols,pesticides,munition
Chlorinated Herbaceous
solvents,MTBE,some species,grasses,trees,wetland
inorganics species
(Se,Hg&As)
Water soluble organic & Herbaceous
inorganics species,grasses,trees,wetland
species
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Efficiency results of a UASB reactor
coupled with a Duckweed pond
Table 2:- Efficiency of treatment system as % removal [9]
Parameter Treatment unit

UASB Duckweed ponds efficiency Overall efficiency

Summer (%) Winter (%) Summer (%) Winter (%) Summer (%) Winter (%)

COD % 79 ± 5 70 ± 1.8 64 ± 17 72 ± 1.3 93 ± 4 92 ± 0.4

removal
BOD % 82 ± 5 73 ± 2 73 ± 12 75 ± 3 95 ± 2 93 ± 1
removal
Ammonia N 4 ± 14 19 ± 3 98 ± 4 44 ± 7 98 ± 3 39 ± 10
% removal
TKN % 26 ± 9 15 ± 5 80 ± 6 45 ± 5 85 ± 4 53 ± 7
removal
Total P% 20 ± 9 28 ± 5 73 ± 8 40 ± 8 78 ± 7 57 ± 7
removal
TSS % 83 ± 7 73 ± 3 43 ± 21 63 ± 6 91 ± 5 91 ± 2
removal
Faecal 63 73 99.93 99.7 99.998 99.94
coliform %
removal

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Duckweed pond Efficiency…
Table 3:-Characteristics of pond system influent (UASB reactor effluent) and effluent, and removal efficiencies [10]
Parameter Concentration (mg/l) Removal efficiency(%)

Influent (%) Effluent (%)

BOD total 23 ± 13 8±5 60 ± 32
BOD filtered 13 ± 6 4±2 65 ± 25
BOD suspended 10 ± 8 4±4 67 ± 26
COD total 126 ± 81 49 ± 20 54 ± 24
COD filtered 54 ± 37 29 ± 20 41 ± 37
COD suspended 72 ± 62 20 ± 20 65 ± 33
TSS 35 ± 30 11 ± 4 57 ± 29
NH4-N 48 ± 18 26 ± 12 46 ± 26
NO3-N Negligible 2±1 -
N-Organic 6±9 Negligible 100

PO4-P 16 ± 3 11 ± 4 33 ± 29
pH 7.4 ± 7.9 7.3 ± 8.3 -

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Efficiency results of a UASB reactor
coupled with a Water hyacinth (WH) pond
Table 4:- Efficiency of the USAB and Water Hyacinth pond [10]
Type ph Alkali COD TSS ECOD E
TSS

(mg/l of (mg/l) (mg/l) %

%
CaCO3 )

Influent 8.15 618 465 154

Effluent 8.05 635 162 41 65 73

UASB
Effluent 8.00 620 90 12 81 92
(WH)

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Comparison of Cost & Time….
Table 5:- Cost Advantage of Phytoremediation [4]

Type Of Treatment Cost/m3 ($) Time Req Additional factors/expense Safety

(months) Issues

Land filling 100-400 6-9 Long term monitoring Leaching

Soil extraction, leaching 250-500 8-12 5,000m3 minimum Chemical Residue

recycle disposal

Phytoremediation 15-40 18-60 Time /land commitment Residue

disposal

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Advantages & Disadvantages…
λ Advantages λ Disadvantages
1. Natural 1. Long clean-up
times
2. Green, 2. Uncertain
growing performance
3. Aesthetically 3. Not for every site (deep
pleasing wastes, anaerobic soils,
4. Cost-effective for large etc)
land areas where other
technologies are not 4. Regulatory
feasible hurdles

5. Sensible, appropriate,
sustainable technology
[8]

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To Apply Phytoremediation…..
• Wetlands offer an unlimited potential for the phytoremediation of toxins
and pollutants.
They offset the cost of chemical
treatments and are an alternative
to regions too remote, too small,
or too economically
disadvantaged to support
standard waste water treatment
plants.
Figure 12: A Constructed Wetland
• Wetlands are shallow (typically less than 0.6 m (2 ft)) bodies of slow-
moving water in which dense stands of water tolerant plants such as
cattails, bulrushes, or reeds are grown. In manmade systems, these
bodies are artificially created and are typically long, narrow trenches or
channels.[5]

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Types of Wetlands Treatment
system are:
λ Natural Wetlands.

λ Constructed Wetlands.
1. Free Water Surface
System,
2. Subsurface Flow
Systems.
λ Aquatic Plant Systems.
1. Floating Plant
Systems,
2. Submerged Plant
Systems.
[5]

Figure 13: Treatment Wetlands

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Treatment Wetlands

Figure 14: A Treatment Wetland depicting the various methods of Phytoremediation [4]

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Alternative Methods

Figure 15: A proposed Step for Wastewater treatment using Phytoremediation [7]

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CONCLUSIONS
λ The 'green technologies' are more appropriate for water clean up
as:-
• Decompose organic pollutants to non-toxic low molecular
substances,
• Do not introduce additional chemical substances into the
environment,
• Are relatively easy to manage and easily adopted to the
local needs,
• Do not require large investment to be practically introduced,
• Are able to remove several pollutants in combination,
• Can be applied at a small as well as at a large scale.
λ Is a sustainable & inexpensive process is fast emerging as a
viable alternative to conventional remediation methods, and will
be most suitable for a developing country like India.

λ In India commercial application of Phytoremediation of soil heavy

metal or organic compounds is in its earliest phase.

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References….
1. "WHO, Water Resource Quality." http://www.who.int/ (11/17/05).
2. Loeffler R. 2001. A Study of Three Aquatic Plant Species and Their Effectiveness at
Removing Nitrates and Phosphates from a Nutrient Enriched Aqueous Solution,
Sewanee,University of the South, Ecology 210.
3. Sinha R.K., Heart S. and Tandon P.K. 2007. Phytoremediation: Role of Plants in
Contaminated Site Management, Environmental Bioremediation Technologies, Chapter 14,
pp 315-318.
4. ITRC, April 2001, “Phytotechnology Technical and Regulatory Guidance Document”,
Interstate Technology and Regulatory Cooperation Work Group, Phytotechnologies Work
Team, Columbia, U.S.
5. Terry N., Banuelos G.S. 2000. Phytoremediation of Contaminated Soil and Water, Chapter 2,
pp 13-18.
6. Schnoor J.L, 1997 “Phytoremediation”, Ground-Water Remediation Technologies Analysis
Center (GWRTAC), Technology Evaluation Report, pp 11.
7. Peter Schröder, Juan Navarro-Aviñó, Hassan Azaizeh, Avi Golan Goldhirsh, Simona
DiGregorio, Tamas Komives, Günter Langergraber, Anton Lenz, Elena Maestri, Abdul R.
Memon, Alfonso Ranalli, Luca Sebastiani, Stanislav Smrcek, Tomas Vanek, Stephane
Vuilleumier & Frieder Wissing. December 2006, “Using Phytoremediation Technologies to
Upgrade Waste Water Treatment in Europe”, Phytoremediation Technologies, Env Sci Pollut
Res 14 (7) 490 – 497 (2007), pp 496.
8. B. Van Aken, J. M. Yoon, C. L. Just, S. Tanake, L. Brentner, B. Flokstra & J.L. Schnoor, April
2005, “Phytoremediation: From the Scale Molecular to the Field”, Presented at the
International Phytotechnologies Conference April 20 2005, pp 8.

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References
9. Saber A. El-Shafai, Fatma A El-Gohary, Fayza A.Nasr. , N. .Peter van der Steen, Huub J.
Gijzen, March 2006, “Nutrient recovery from domestic waste water using a UASB-
duckweed pond system”. Bioresource Technology 98 798–807.
10. Peter Van Der Steen ,Asher Brenner ,Joost Van Buuren and M Gidoen Oron, June 1998,
“Post-Treatment Of UASB Reactor Effluent In An Integrated Duckweed And Stablization
Pond System”, Wat. Res. Vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 615-620.

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QUESTIONS???
THANK YOU…