Utilizing Various Potentials for Phytoremediation of Arsenic Contamination—A Feasible Perspective

Arsenic (As) is a heavy metal having atomic number 33 with both metallic and nonmetallic properties. Typically, the range of its concentrations in unpolluted soil is between 0.2 and 40 ppm, however they have been shown to go as high as 2500 ppm in contaminated soils. Being a poisonous heavy metal, arsenic has contaminated the groundwater in over 75 nations, exposing more than 160 million people, particularly those living in rural areas, to it. This element can be found in the ecosystem having a range of oxidation states, with Arsenic III being much more dangerous than Arsenic V. As a byproduct of agricultural and industrial activities, it is a contaminant found in drinking water, natural soil, and other environmental sources. The buildup of arsenic in the soil is a severe concern to human health since it does not degrade like organic compounds. Most traditional restorative procedures are costlier and damage soil's natural characteristics, making them unsuitable for plant growth. One of the most efficient and affordable cleanup methods ever devised is phytoremediation. In order to characterise phytoremediation systems and address performance issues, many mathematical techniques have been used. Arsenic contamination was much reduced because to the carefully considered and organised application of numerous naturally occurring microphytes, macrophytes, blooming plants, and other well-known plants The ability and methods of the arsenic uptake by duckweeds, hydrilla; water spinach, ferns, cabbage, hyacinth and watercress have been examined in order to assess their potential in phytoremediation technology. In total, 54 cultivable rhizobacteria and 41 root endophytes, mostly belonging to the phylum of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were identified and characterized in order to assess their potential for accumulating metals in plants. These traits included the ability to promote plant growth, metal chelation, and/or reduce heavy metal stress. The rate along with depth of contaminant uptake from the soil, concentration in the plant cell, and the extent of contaminant transformation to ordinary cell metabolites can all be used to estimate the plant's capacity for detoxification.