Jadavpur University researchers find biological method to remove heavy metals from plants
Kolkata: Researchers at the School of Environmental Studies of Jadavpur University (JU) have stumbled upon certain genetic tools and their mechanisms that can be widely employed for heavy metals remediation in plants. The study assumes significance in the backdrop of physical methods for removing heavy metals and metalloids proving to be relatively inefficient.
“Numerous instances have been recorded where plants are adversely affected by the toxicity of heavy metals and metalloids. The contamination of soil by these heavy metals has led to a significant absorption of these toxins by crops, posing a serious threat to the environment. Consequently, humans consuming these vegetables in large quantities are also experiencing adverse effects. Bioremediation is an advanced and environmentally sustainable technique that utilizes natural biological processes to eliminate hazardous pollutants completely,” said Tarit Roychowdhury of the School of Environmental Studies, JU.
According to him, globally, a substantial portion of the population is suffering from diseases such as arsenicosis and fluorosis due to the high intake of heavy metals through diet. The frequency of these occurrences necessitates urgent measures to curb this issue.
Archita Dey, another researcher involved in the study said that this approach involves using microorganisms, fungi, or their derived enzymes to restore environments contaminated by pollutants. Various chemical, physical and microbiological treatment methods are currently employed to address organophosphate pesticides (OPP). Each method presents distinct advantages and disadvantages beyond just capital and operational costs, such as effectiveness, performance, consistency, dependence on variables and the production of undesirable byproducts during treatment. “Furthermore, modifying the function of metal transporters has led to enhanced tolerance and accumulation of metals in different plant species, “ she added. While in situ bioremediation proved successful in cold climates, low temperatures can slow the remediation process. For sites with low soil temperatures, heat blankets may be applied to the soil surface to raise temperatures and enhance the degradation rate. Enhanced bioremediation is often viewed as a long-term solution, potentially requiring several years to fully clean a contamination plume. Identifying new indigenous species for this purpose and developing genetic tools to modify and engineer the functions of bacterial strains and plant species could be beneficial.
The study has been published as a book chapter in ‘Springer’.
