Plant-assisted remediation of hydrocarbons in water and soil: Application, mechanisms, challenges and opportunities

Abdullah SRS 1 , Al-Baldawi IA 2 , Almansoory AF 3 , Purwanti IF 4 , Al-Sbani NH 5 , Sharuddin SSN 6

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: rozaimah@eng.ukm.my
  • 2 Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Biochemical Engineering, Al-Khwarizmi College of Engineering, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq. Electronic address: israa@kecbu.uobaghdad.edu.iq
  • 3 Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Biology, Science College, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq
  • 4 Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Planning, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember Surabaya, Surabaya, 60111, Indonesia
  • 5 Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Petroleum Engineering, AL-Zawia University, AL-Zawia, Libya
  • 6 Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
Chemosphere, 2020 May;247:125932.
PMID: 32069719 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.125932

Abstract

Due to the increasing importance of diesel and petroleum for industrial development during the last century, petrochemical effluents have significantly contributed to the pollution of aquatic and soil environments. The contamination generated by petroleum hydrocarbons can endanger not only humans but also the environment. Phytoremediation or plant-assisted remediation can be considered one of the best technologies to manage petroleum product-contaminated water and soil. The main advantages of this method are that it is environmentally-friendly, potentially cost-effective and does not require specialised equipment. The scope of this review includes a description of hydrocarbon pollutants from petrochemical industries, their toxicity impacts and methods of treatment and degradation. The major emphasis is on phytodegradation (phytotransformation) and rhizodegradation since these mechanisms are the most favourable alternatives for soil and water reclamation of hydrocarbons using tropical plants. In addressing these issues, this review also covers challenges to retrieve the environment (soil and water) from petroleum contaminations through phytoremediation, and its opportunities to remove or reduce the negative environmental impacts of petroleum contaminations and restore damaged ecosystems with sustainable ways to keep healthy life for the future.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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