PHYTOREMEDIATION FOR LEAD-CONTAMINATED SOIL

Abstract

Lead-contaminated soil poses a serious concern for agricultural production, food safety, and human health due to its detrimental effects and widespread accumulation in food chains. Phytoextraction, the extraction of pollutants using plants, is a technology that has been researched and applied to extract or remove lead from polluted sites. This method is evaluated as an effective, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective technological solution. Based on a comprehensive review of information and data spanning several years, this article aims to explore and analyze various strategies for overcoming the limitations of conventional methods that rely on hyperaccumulating plants to uptake and accumulate metals without intervening in the substrate or the plants themselves. These strategies include combining plant-assisted approaches with chelates, integrating plant-assisted methods with microorganisms or mycorrhizal fungi, and merging plant-based technology with genetic engineering to shorten treatment time, increase absorption and accumulation of Pb in plant parts. Although many factors still need to be improved in terms of principles and treatment techniques, initial results have affirmed that this is a completely effective and feasible method for treating lead-contaminated areas, aligning with the trend of applying green technologies to environmental protection.