The process of using plants to absorb pollution from soil and water is known as phytoremediation. Here's a breakdown of what phytoremediation involves:
1. **Definition**: Phytoremediation is a natural and cost-effective environmental cleanup technique that uses plants to remove, degrade, or contain contaminants in soil, water, or air.
2. **How it works**: Certain plants are selected for their ability to absorb and accumulate pollutants from the environment. These plants then break down or stabilize the contaminants through various processes like absorption, accumulation, degradation, or volatilization.
3. **Examples**: One common example is using plants like willow trees to clean up contaminated water. The roots of these plants can absorb pollutants like heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients from the water, helping to purify it.
4. **Benefits**: Phytoremediation is beneficial because it is environmentally friendly, sustainable, and can often be implemented in areas where traditional cleanup methods may be impractical or expensive.
In summary, phytoremediation is a natural and effective way to use plants to clean up pollution from soil and water, offering a green solution to environmental contamination issues.
