TECHNICAL SEMINAR PRESENTATION

On,
GEO TECHNICAL ASPECTS ON PHYTOREMEDIATION

Presented by,
BHAVANA M.
8th Sem ‘B’ Sec
CIVIL DEPARTMENT,
BAPUJI INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING
AND TECHNOLOGY

Under The Guidance Of,

Dr . C S VIJAYA KUMAR sir
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
 OUTLINE

 DEFINITION

 HOW DOES PHYTOREMEDIATION WORK

 CATEGORIES OF PHYTOREMEDIATION

 MECHANISM PROCESS
 ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES

 APPLICATIONS
 CONCLUSION
 Abstract
1. Our surroundings are filled with a large number of toxicants in different
forms. They contaminate water, land and atmosphere where we inhabit.
2. Heavy metal pollution of soil is a significant environmental problem
and has its negative impact on human health and agriculture.
3. Thus, metals render the land unsuitable for plant growth and destroy the
biodiversity.
4. Phytoremediation is a bioremediation process that uses various types of
plants to remove, transfer, stabilize, and / or destroy contaminants in the
soil and groundwater.
 DEFINITION

Phytoremediation:
is the use of green plants to clean-up contaminated hazardous waste sites. The
idea of using metal-accumulating plants to remove heavy metals and other
compounds was first introduced in 1983, but the concept has actually been
implemented for the past 300 years on wastewater discharges. The
identification of metal hyper accumulator plants capable of accumulating
extra- ordinary high metal levels demonstrates that plants have the genetic
potential to clean up contaminated soil.
 How Does Phytoremediation Work?

 Plants roots take contaminants from the ground into the

“body” of the plant
 The plants root zone is referred to as the Rhizosphere,
this is where the action occurs.
 This soil supports large populations of diverse
microorganism's
 This is due to chemicals exuded by plant roots which
provide carbon and energy for microbial growth.
 This combination of plants and microorganisms appears
to increase the biodegradation of compounds
 Phyto=plants * remedium= restoring balance
 Categories of Phytoremediation

 Phytostabilization
 Phytoextraction
 Rhizofilteration
 Phytovolatilization
 Phytodegradation
 Rhizodegradation
Mechanism Process
 PHYTOEXTRACTION

 Tolerant plants are cultivated to take up

contaminants from the soil and
accumulate them in aboveground tissues
which are periodically harvested,
thereby removing them from the soil.
 For trace metals, plant biomass can be
burned to produce metal-enriched ash or
to obtain a bio-ore of economic value
(the process is then known as
phytomining).
 PHYTOSTABILIZATION

 Using diverse mechanisms, the plant is

able to sequester or immobilize
contaminants in their roots and/or area
of influence (Rhizosphere).
 This process limits the risks of leaching
and bioavailability of contaminants
and, as a result, significantly reduces
potential adverse effects to the
environment or contaminant transfer to
the food chain.
 PHYTOVOLATILIZATION

 Some plants are able to transform

contaminants into volatile compounds or
to absorb and transport (via transpiration)
volatile compounds from the soil to the
aboveground biomass where they can then
be released into the atmosphere.
 Works on organic molecules, heavy metal
toxins and among other things
 Mercury is the most common metal
pollutant for which this method has been
used.
 RHIZODEGRADATION

 Plant roots release root exudates (including

enzymes) into the surrounding soil (the
Rhizosphere), stimulating the structural and
functional diversity and activity of microbial
communities in the Rhizosphere that contribute
to the degradation of organic contaminants.
 The efficiency of this technique can be
improved by incorporating microorganisms
with a known capacity to degrade organic
contaminants and/or to enhance contaminant
bioavailability
 (bio augmentation), and/or through the addition
of substances which are able to stimulate plant-
microbial interactions (bio stimulants ).
 Merits and De-merits
Merits
 Phytoremediation can be used either as an
in situ or ex situ application.
 It is a green technology and when properly
implemented is both environmentally
friendly and aesthetically pleasing to the
public.
 Phytoremediation does not require
expensive equipment or highly-specialized
personnel, and it is relatively easy to
implement
 It is capable of permanently treating a
wide range of contaminants in a wide
range of environments.
 The greatest advantage of
phytoremediation is its low cost compared
to conventional clean-up technologies.
De-merits
 It is restricted to the rooting depth of
remediative plants.
 Remediation with plants is a lengthy process,
thus it may take several years or longer to
clean up a hazardous waste site, and the
contamination may still not be fully
remediated.
 The use of invasive, nonnative species can
affect biodiversity.
 The consumption of contaminated plants by
wildlife is also a remarkable concern.
 Harvested plant biomass produced from the
process of Phytoextraction may be classified
as hazardous waste, therefore subject to
proper handling and disposal.
 Unfavorable climate can limit plant growth
and phytomass production, thus decreases
process efficiency.
Applications of Phytoremediation

 Examples
CONCLUSION:
Phytoremediation is considered to be an innovative technology. By
increasing our knowledge and understanding – this method will provide a
cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative to conventional
cleanup methods. Researches are still going on - on this aspect. Let us
hope more number of plants with phytoremediation ability be identified in
the years to come.
REFRENCES,
Jeanne R. Henry, an Overview of the Phytoremediation of Lead and
Mercury. National Network of Environmental Management Studies
(NNEMS) Fellow (May - August 2000)
THANK YOU