Abstract

This comprehensive review examines bioremediation strategies aimed at detoxifying heavy metals and enhancing their accumulation in plants. Heavy metal contamination of soils and water bodies poses significant environmental and health risks worldwide, necessitating effective remediation approaches. Bioremediation offers a sustainable solution by leveraging plant-microbe interactions to sequester, transform, or degrade heavy metals. Key bioremediation techniques discussed include phytoremediation, rhizofiltration, and bio augmentation. Phytoremediation involves using plants to uptake and store heavy metals in their tissues, while rhizofiltration utilizes plant roots to filter and immobilize metals from contaminated water. Bio augmentation employs microbial inoculants to enhance plant-microbe interactions and improve metal uptake efficiency. The review explores the mechanisms underlying these bioremediation strategies, focusing on processes such as phytoextraction, rhizosphere interactions, and microbial-assisted detoxification pathways. Molecular and biochemical mechanisms involved in metal uptake, transport, and detoxification within plants are also discussed, highlighting the roles of metal transporters, chelating agents, and antioxidant defense systems. Case studies and experimental findings demonstrate the efficacy and applicability of bioremediation techniques across various contaminated environments.