Types of Phytoremediation

Types of phytoremediation

Figure 2 Phytoremediation

 (available from website; http://systemsbiology.usm.edu/BrachyWRKY/WRKY/Phytoremediation.html)

Phytostimulation
Degradation of pollutants in the rhizosphere due to microbial activity (Pilon-Smits 2005)

Phytovolatilization
Release of pollutants by plants in volatile form (Pilon-Smits 2005)

Rhizofiltration 
Use of plants in hydroponic setup for filtering polluted water (Pilon-Smits 2005)

Phytoextraction
Phytoextraction is contaminant uptake by roots with subsequent accumulation in the aboveground portion of a plant, generally to be followed by harvest and ultimate disposal of the plant biomass. It is a contaminant removal process (Pivets 2001)


Phytostabilization
Phytostabilization is the use of vegetation to contain soil contaminants in situ, through modification of the chemical, biological, and physical conditions in the soil. Contaminant transport in soil, sediments, or sludges can be reduced through absorption and accumulation by roots; adsorption onto roots; precipitation, complexation, or metal valence reduction in soil within the root zone; or binding into humic (organic) matter through the process of humification (Pivets 2001)

Phytotransformation 
This is the partial or total degradation of complex organic molecules by their incorporation into plant tissues (Pilon-Smits 2005)