Phytoremediation, the introduction (TESTING BLOG)

Soil pollution is getting considerable public attention since the magnitude of this problem is growing rapidly (Mathew 2001).  Under Rancangan Malaysia ke sepuluh (RMK10), the New Economic Model strategy, the development of industry become main focus in Malaysia but this good development might also lead us to more pollution especially soil pollution. Heavy metal is a significant environmental problem worldwide (Alloway 1995). Heavy metal pollution of surface soils due to intense industrialization and urbanization has become serious concern in many developing countries (Mireles, et al. 2012).

Heavy metal can remove from soil but it is costly especially considering large pollution area. Study by (Stegmann, et al. 2001)  state that there is 4 alternatives in removing contamination in soils. There are 1) leave the contamination as it is and restrict the utilization of the land. 2) Complete or partial encapsulation of the contaminated site. 3) Excavation of the contaminated soil and followed by landfilling. 4) Treatment of the contaminated soil in-situ or ex-situ, either at an onsite or central plant. The first three methods of cleaning the contaminated soil do not remove pollutants from the soil (Mathew 2005). There are also other methods on treating soil contamination especially heavy metals. One of the treatments that is low cost and also can improve the area of the soil is phytoremediation. The term phytoremediation can be defined as uses of plants to remove pollutants from the environment (Raskin, Smith and Salt 1997). The use of metal-accumulating plants to clean soil and water contaminated with toxic metals is the most rapidly developing components of this environmentally friendly and cost-effective technology (Raskin, Smith and Salt 1997). Fundamental and applied research have unequivocally demonstrated that selected plant species possess the genetic potential to remove, degrade, metabolize, or immobilize a wide range of contaminants. Despite this tremendous potential, phytoremediation is yet to become a commercial technology (Lasat 2001). Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that employs the use of higher plants for the clean of contaminated environments (Lasat 2001). The process of removing the heavy metal by phytoremediation can be increased by using biochar which also help to treat the contaminated soil.

Biochar is the carbon-rich product obtained when biomass, such a wood, manure or leaves, is heated in a closed container with little or no available air. Also called thermal decomposition of organic material under limited supply of oxygen (<700^oC) (Lehmann and Joseph 2009). Biochar are basic more stable than any other amendment too soil, which increase nutrient availability beyond the fertilizer effects (Lehmann and Joseph 2009). (Lehmann and Joseph 2009) Also said that biochar efficiently enhance soil quality than any other organic soil amendment. Biochar has ability to hold specific chemical and physical properties such as high  charge density (Liang, et al. 2006), that result in much greater nutrient retention  in combination with a specific resistance chemical structure provides much greater challenge to microbial decay than other soil organic matter (Shindo 1991)

Figure 1 soil contamination (Available from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_contamination)