Phytoremediation for Environmental Clean Up

Pollution is an undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of air, land and water that will waste or deteriorate our raw material resources. Modern technological innovations have increased pollution levels above the self cleaning capacities of the environment. In recent times, one of the major issues is the threat to human life from the progressive deterioration of the environment. The rapid growth of industrialization, urbanization, modern agricultural development and energy generation resulting into exploitation of natural resources for fulfilling human needs and desires have contributed much in disturbing the ecological balance on which the quality of our environment depends (Anton and Mathe-Gaspar, 2005). With these developments, problems especially pollution has attained gigantic proportions beyond the control of natural recycling ecosystem and the day is not far away when man may starve for even a gulp of oxygen-the life string, a drop of pure waterthe fluid of life, a mouthful of unpolluted food-the power behind and a moment of calm and quick rest. Pollution, whether of air, land or water is a man-made problem of far reaching repercussions. Increasing contamination is a threat to the continuous existence of countless species of plants and animals of the ecosystem and this may ultimately become the greatest hazard to human population (Jayapragasam, 2000).