Phytoremediation of Metal-Contaminated Soils and Water in Pakistan: a Review Published: 20 December 2022

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution has increasingly deteriorated many natural ecosystems around the globe resulting in significant loss of environmental health including endangerment of many biological species. The impact of heavy metal contamination is more pronounced in the developing and resource limited countries due to poor compliance to environmental policies. Pakistan stands on the forefront of pollution threat with unprecedented levels of heavy metal contamination in soils and waters. Phytoremediation has emerged as a promising eco-friendly green technique that has proved to be inexpensive, effective, and easily applicable in different ecosystems in recent years. Different strategies of phytoremediation include phytoextraction, phytovolatilization, phytostabilization, rhizofiltration, and phytofiltration, which have shown promising results against heavy metal-contaminated areas. This paper aims to review the studies conducted in Pakistan in the last two decades that deploy phytoremediation as a green technique to remove heavy metals from the metal-contaminated environment. Merits and demerits as well as advancements and limitations of phytoremediation use in Pakistan are also discussed in the present manuscript. The role of microorganisms in metal uptake is also briefly discussed. The manuscript concludes that despite abundant availability and diversity of plant species, only a few phytoremediation studies have been conducted in Pakistan with limited scope and applicability. Nevertheless, potential of this solar driven green technique is overwhelmingly untapped and during recent years, an increasing trend on phytoremediation studies is evident in the country.