Phytoremediation as a Sustainable Tool for Pollution Control: Thematic Advances, Chronological Development, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Phytoremediation is a plant-based approach for the removal, immobilization, transformation, or attenuation of contaminants in soil, sediment, and water. Its principal modes include phytoextraction, phytostabilization, rhizofiltration, phytodegradation, phytovolatilization, and rhizodegradation. The field has progressed from early demonstrations of plant-assisted contaminant removal to integrated approaches involving plant–microbe interactions, soil amendments, omics technologies, genetic improvement, and hybrid remediation systems. This review synthesizes the thematic and chronological development of phytoremediation, with particular emphasis on the mechanistic basis of contaminant uptake and detoxification, plant selection, environmental controls, wastewater applications, and emerging enhancement strategies. A critical comparison with selected conventional remediation technologies shows that phytoremediation can offer low site disturbance and potentially lower costs, but its effectiveness is constrained by contaminant bioavailability, rooting depth, plant growth rate, climate, site heterogeneity, and the need for safe management of contaminated biomass. Importantly, phytoremediation should not be regarded as universally superior to physicochemical remediation; rather, it is most appropriate where contaminant concentrations, site conditions, remediation endpoints, and timescales are compatible with plant-based treatment. Recent research is increasingly focused on microbe-assisted remediation, amendments, nanotechnology, genetic and multi-omics approaches, modelling, and biomass valorization. Future progress will depend on field-scale validation, standardized performance indicators, life-cycle assessment, regulatory clarity, and integrated remediation designs that combine phytoremediation with complementary technologies.