lable at ScienceDirect

Journal of Cleaner Production xxx (2014) 1e3

Contents lists avai

Journal of Cleaner Production

journal homepage: www.elsevier .com/locate/ jc lepro

Note from the field

Sustainable phytoremediation based on naturally colonizingand economically valuable plants

Vimal Chandra Pandey a, *, Deep Narayan Pandey b, Nandita Singh a

a Eco-Auditing Group, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow 226001, Uttar Pradesh, Indiab Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, Jaipur, India

a r t i c l e i n f o

Article history:Received 30 April 2014Received in revised form12 August 2014Accepted 12 August 2014Available online xxx

Keywords:Sustainable phytoremediationHeavy metalsContaminated sitesNaturally colonizing speciesEconomically valuable plants

* Corresponding author. Tel.: þ91 5222297932, þ91E-mail addresses: vimalcpandey@gmail.com,

(V.C. Pandey).

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.08.0300959-6526/© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Please cite this article in press as: Pandey, Vplants, Journal of Cleaner Production (2014)

a b s t r a c t

The present article briefly describes a strategy to accomplish “sustainable phytoremediation” to addressthe challenge of bio-accumulation of heavy metals in contaminated sites.

© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. The challenge

Continuous increase in the number and area of contaminatedsoil and aquatic ecosystems due to toxic heavy metals is a majorconcern worldwide. Conventional technologies entail large costsfor the remediation of heavy metals polluted sites. Phytor-emediation, while useful, it nevertheless has challenge of bio-accumulation of heavy metals in the plants that pose hazard tohuman health through potential entry into humans and theirlivestock. A more holistic approach, therefore, is urgently requiredto address this challenge. Here we propose the use of unpalatable,perennial and economically valuable natural colonizer species,rather than introduced species, for the remediation of pollutedsoils.

Polluted areas represent a major challenge for the survival ofliving organisms including humans. Several areas and ecosystemshave been converted into major toxic hotspots, and many are likelyto be added to the list. In August 2013, the United States Environ-mental Protection Agency identified 66,000 locations wherecontaminated lands, landfills and mine sites could be used forcultivation of energy crops (EPA, 2013). Thus, protecting precious

9454287575.vimalcpandey@hotmail.com

.C., et al., Sustainable phytore, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jc

soil resources from further damage through sustainable phytor-emediation of heavy metal contaminated soils is critically required(Kuppens et al., 2014; Nie et al., 2010). Accordingly, we provide anovel strategy.

2. The sustainable phytoremediation

It is well known that heavy metals cannot be degraded anddestroyed. They bio-accumulate through food chain and carry largepotential human health risks. Among all the available technologies,phytoremediation is a low-cost technology for to remediate thecontaminated areas. Plants can remediate pollutants throughseveral processes like adsorption, transport and translocation,hyper-accumulation or transformation and mineralization(Meagher, 2000). A number of naturally colonizing plant specieshave been reported to grow on heavy metals contaminated sites.Only a few of these, however, are useful for phytoremediation andcreating a multifunctional ecosystem. The characteristics that makeany species useful for phytoremediation include fast-growth withcapability to accumulate large biomass, easier and rapid propaga-tion, profuse root system, high metal accumulation capacity,tolerance to harsh local soil condition, and unpalatable by livestock(Pandey et al., 2012a). It is also desirable that these species shouldbe perennial, and should be able to initiate ecological succession. Inaddition, the species taken for remediation should also be usefulfrom the perspective of yield of goods and services to the society.

mediation based on naturally colonizing and economically valuablelepro.2014.08.030

V.C. Pandey et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xxx (2014) 1e32

Additional benefits can also include carbon sequestration, substratequality enhancement, pleasant landscape, biodiversity conserva-tion (Pandey, 2002; Pandey, 2013).

Ignoring the issues of cost of inputs and maintenance, majorityof the available research to date recommend introduced plantspecies for phytoremediation. For example, a Scopus based surveyby Vamerali et al. (2010) revealed that globally, mainly the intro-duced crop species are involved in phytoremediation. It clearlyshows that little concern is given to naturally colonizing vegeta-tion for the phytoremediation of contaminated sites. However,using introduced crop species for phytoremediation has numerousecological, economic and social challenges. The introduced cropsrequire inputs and maintenances for their establishment on theharsh conditions that prevail in heavy metals contaminated sites.Furthermore, if the introduced crops relate to edible species, thenthere is a serious danger of heavy metals entering in food chainand consequent human health risks. These problems can beavoided by using naturally growing species that may be unpalat-able and yet economically and socially useful to the society(Pandey and Singh, 2011). Directing our scientific efforts ingenerating relevant knowledge in this direction, and linking thatknowledge to action can help us in reducing the human healthrisks and well as obtaining more from the phytoremediation ef-forts. A conceptual diagram is proposed here to introduce the

Fig. 1. A conceptual diagram showing to introduce the

Please cite this article in press as: Pandey, V.C., et al., Sustainable phytorplants, Journal of Cleaner Production (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.j

novel approach for “sustainable phytoremediation”, we proposehere (Fig. 1.).

3. Ecologically and economically useful species

Naturally colonizing species are the most appropriate optionfor phytoremediation of contaminated sites. If scientists, throughinterdisciplinary efforts, are able to screen ecologically and socio-economically important plant species or commercial crops such asaromatic plants and energy crops among naturally colonizingspecies, then sustainable phytoremediation can be achieved. Someexample of ecologically and socio-economically important plantspecies are munj (Saccharum munja) and Kans (S. spontaneum), etc.These species have been identified as excluders that limit heavymetals toxicity. Likewise, some aromatic plants such as vetiver(Vetiveria zizanioides), lemon grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), tulsi(Ocimum basilicum) are stress tolerant in nature. The main productof aromatic crops is essential oil that is free from heavy metal risk(Khajanchi et al., 2013). The promising energy crops like Ricinuscommunis (Pandey, 2013),Jatropha curcas (Pandey et al.,2012b),Miscanthus giganteus (Nsanganwimana et al., 2014), etc.have the ability for phytoremediation of contaminated sites alongwith a range of ecological and ecosystem services. All these spe-cies are perennial and unpalatable by livestock. They are also

novel approach for sustainable phytoremediation.

emediation based on naturally colonizing and economically valuableclepro.2014.08.030

V.C. Pandey et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xxx (2014) 1e3 3

ecologically appropriate for phytoremediation of heavy metals inpolluted sites, and thus offer a novel opportunity for their use inphytoremediation. More specifically, there is no or very limitedrisk in use of main product of such species (i.e., essential oils,biodiesel).

4. Conclusion

In conclusion, using species that are natural colonizers, peren-nial in nature and unpalatable by livestock and yet have socio-economic value is urgently required. The strategy we proposedfor sustainable phytoremediation based on naturally colonizing andeconomically valuable plants is indeed a safe and sustainableapproach. Scientists and practitioners both are required to playtheir role for producing relevant science and using that science tomake the difference on the ground.

Acknowledgments

Financial assistance given to first author as Young Scientist un-der Fast Track Scheme (No.SR/FTP/ES-96/2012) by Science andEngineering Research Board, Department of Science & Technology,Govt. of India, New Delhi is gratefully acknowledged. Authors arealso thankful to Dr. C.S. Nautiyal, Director, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow for his kind support. Authors sincerelyapologise to all other phytoremediation researchers whose workcould not be cited due to space limit.

Please cite this article in press as: Pandey, V.C., et al., Sustainable phytoreplants, Journal of Cleaner Production (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jc

References

EPA Mapping and Screening Tools. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland/rd_mapping_tool.htm.

Khajanchi, L., Yadava, R.K., Kaurb, R., Bundelaa, D.S., Khana, M.I., Chaudharya, M.,Meenaa, R.L., Dara, S.R., Singha, G., 2013. Productivity, essential oil yield, andheavy metal accumulation in lemon grass (Cymbopogonflexuosus) under variedwastewater-groundwater irrigation regimes. Ind. Crop. Prod. 45, 270e278.

Kuppens, T., Van Dael, M., Vanreppelen, K., Thewys, T., Yperman, J., Carleer, R.,Schreurs, S., Van Passel, S., 2014. Techno-economic assessment of fast pyrolysisfor the valorization of short rotation coppice cultivated for phytoextraction.J. Clean. Prod. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.07.023.

Meagher, R.B.P., 2000. Phytoremediation of toxic elemental and organic pollutants.Curr. Opin. Plant Biol. 3, 153e162.

Nie, S.W., Gao, W.S., Chen, Y.Q., Sui, P., Eneji, A.E., 2010. Use of life cycle assessmentmethodology for determining phytoremediation potentials of maize-basedcropping systems in fields with nitrogen fertilizer over-dose. J. Clean. Prod.18, 1528e1532.

Nsanganwimana, F., Pourrut, B., Mench, M., Francis Douay, F., 2014. Suitability ofMiscanthus species for managing inorganic and organic contaminated land andrestoring ecosystem services. A review. J. Environ. Manage. 143, 123e134.

Pandey, D.N., 2002. Sustainability science for mine-spoil restoration. Curr. Sci. 83,792e793.

Pandey, V.C., 2013. Suitability of Ricinus communis L. cultivation for phytor-emediation of fly ash disposal sites. Ecol. Eng. 57, 336e341.

Pandey, V.C., Singh, K., 2011. Is Vigna radiata suitable for the revegetation of fly ashlandfills? Ecol. Eng. 37, 2105e2106.

Pandey, V.C., Singh, K., Singh, J.S., Kumar, A., Singh, B., Singh, R.P., 2012a. Jatrophacurcas: a potential biofuel plant for sustainable environmental development.Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev. 16, 2870e2883.

Pandey, V.C., Singh, K., Singh, R.P., Singh, B., 2012b. Naturally growing Saccharummunja on the fly ash lagoons: a potential ecological engineer for the revege-tation and stabilization. Ecol. Eng. 40, 95e99.

Vamerali, T., Marianna, B., Giuliano, M., 2010. Field crops for phytoremediation ofmetal-contaminated land: a review. Environ. Chem. Lett. 8, 1e17.

mediation based on naturally colonizing and economically valuablelepro.2014.08.030