Phytomechanistic Processess in Environmental Clean-Up: A Biochemical Perspective

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume V, Issue IX, September 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

Phytomechanistic Processess in Environmental Clean-Up: A Biochemical Perspective

Emmanuel Okon¹, Ofonime O. Udo², Iquo A. Archibong³, Idongesit A. Victor^4*
1Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
²Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Calabar, Nigeria.
³Department of Biochemistry, University of Calabar, Nigeria.
⁴Department of Biochemistry, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Corresponding Author*

Abstract – Plant plays important roles in environmental clean-up geared towards a sustained eco-friendly environments. Myriads of environmental pollutants from natural and anthropogenic activities are mopped up by certain plants via phyto-based mechanisms. This processes are highly regulated by phytoenzymatic and non-enzymatic activities. The uptake of contaminants via the plant roots for further biochemical processes within the plant tissues utilizes apoplastic pathway (passive diffusion process) and symplastic pathway (an energy dependent process). However, certain pollutants that are not taken up by plants are transformed into less harmful and eco-friendly molecules by the activities of endophytes within the plant roots. Phytomechanistic processes utilized by plant to remediate contaminated environments include; phytoextraction where pollutants in soil, sediments and groundwater are taken up into plant tissues or adsorbed into the roots for storage and further biochemical activities; phytodegradation where toxic pollutants taken up by plants are metabolized by phytoenzymes into non-toxic molecules; phytostabilization where the environmental pollutants are immobilized, precipitated and adsorbed within the root zone via the release of plant exudates in synergy with endophytic activities; and phytovolatilization which involves pollutant uptake and subsequent transformation into an eco-friendly compounds that are released into the atmosphere. Phytoremediation strategy for remediating contaminated environments has enormous merits over other conventional environmental remediation techniques. However, by understanding the mechanisms and the phytometabolic events occurring within plants used in phytoremediation, a new paradigm geared towards effective phytotechnological advancement and application with high ecological impact can be gained, hence the focus of this review.
Keywords – Allelochemicals, Apoplastic pathway, Endophytes, Phytometabolism, Phytoremediation, Phytotoxicity, Symplastic pathway, Xenobiotics.

I. INTRODUCTION

Environmental pollution by allelochemicals and xenobiotic pollutants of both organic and inorganic compounds has become a worldwide menace, posing threats to living organisms, affecting agricultural productivity and ecosystem disruption [1], [2], [3], [4]. As industrialization continues to persist to meet the demand of an ever increasing populations of living organisms (e.g. humans), environmental contaminations by xenobiotic organic and inorganic pollutants evolving from industrial activities are also at higher degree.

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