Fitorremediation, a decontamination method that emerged in the 1980s, basically consists in the use of plants, fungi or algae to decontaminate soils, water or air. It is, in effect of a natural method that is worth the same action of plants to treat dirty waters, for example the residuals, a contaminated air or soils that also require recovery actions.
Fitorremediation classes can cover from their applications in different environments (soils, air and water) to, for example, the variety of organisms usedwhether vegetable or other. To this particular, it is worth mentioning three large groups that correspond to the micorremediation when fungi are used; Fitorremediation when they are algae and, thirdly, the known properly with the name of phytoremediation.
Vascular plants are used in this last group, that is, those that have roots, stem and leaves. They are plants that are characterized by having driver vessels that make up their vascular system, through which water and nutrients circulate inside. In this green ecology article we will talk about Fitorremediation: plants that clean the soil, water or air.
How they work
Apart from their different convenience when implementing them in deconamination projects, these types of organisms can Decompose toxic waste coming from hydrocarbons or garbage of very varied nature (organic waste, debris, environments where there has been an oil leak, unhealthy waters, etc.), acting as natural filters of great effectiveness against organic and inorganic pollution.
In each project they are proposed different needs and designs ad hocdepending on the end pursued, depending on its use. Among other possibilities, the purification of an inner atmosphere, the reintroduction of contaminated water in nature or, as usual, its reuse to water gardens, fields, feed animals or directly for human consumption can be sought.
Its advantages
- Fitoremediation allows Improve air, soil or water quality naturally, which means avoiding the use of chemicals. However, the choice of plants is key to the preservation or recovery of different ecosystems, so it is important to take care of this aspect.
- Similarly, the fact of purifying the environment in question without moving the problem to another place is another fundamental advantage. Unlike other decontamination systems, which consist of using chemicals or moving it to move the problem to another place, phytoremediation represents a much more ecological solution.
- As great advantages, your Effectiveness, security, profitabilityas well as the possibility of applying in large areas in a very varied and scalable way.
- Its use is especially advantageous to end the problem of the Cultivation land pollution. Not only because it is common for these types of degradation to experience, but also to solve the eternal and movie a matter of food security.
- Specifically, plants can Clean the degradation floor Relative to hydrocarbons, benzenes, heavy metals, phenols, solvents and other pollutons, and do so at low cost and widely. Notwithstanding that there are really expensive projects.
- Its benefits at the time of Decontaminate waters It also constitutes a solution with great potential for the same with this resource as valuable as it is scarce, whose class is also a serious global concern.
Some limitations
First, the fact that Transgenia is used To improve the results. In the event that this genetic manipulation affects the ecosystem balance would involve an inconvenience that could limit its use by doing not recommended.
While being effective, the effectiveness of phytoremediation is still relative. This assumes that, in practice, some must be given certain conditions To be able to apply successfully. Some of them are drawer, as easy to deduce as is the same capacity for survival of the plant.
The reason is simple: no matter how much the plant can absorb, metabolize, volatilize or stabilize pollutons present in soil, air or water, you will always find a limit: your own. thus things, pollution that exceed those levels They will not be likely to deal with this method. Without forgetting that there are plants, fungi or algae with greater or lesser resistance and adaptability.
Because it is a natural method, His rhythm is not instantaneous. On the contrary, phytoremediation is a process that normally requires a long period of time. Only in the long term most of the damaged ecosystems can be renewed, although the result can sometimes accelerate through the aforementioned transgenic plants and the complementary use of bacteria.
Finally, contaminated soils at an important depth, which did not reach the roots, could not be recovered with this system. And, as it may, no matter how to the rescue of the environmentthe best solution is always prevention.
Logically, it is not about trusting the good faith and will of those who pollute (industrial, domestic activities, etc.) but about Create regulations and propitiate a model of society that minimizes this disastrous pollution that affects us at all levels.
It is true that they have developed conventional methods That they are ineffective, and that, even worse, its application could lead to unknown results, which alter our habitats unsuspected. In this context, despite its limitations, phytoremediation does not cease to evolve, constituting a hopeful alternative that does not stop giving us good surprises.
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