Microbe-Assisted Phytoremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons

Abstract

Petroleum is an important source of hydrocarbons, which are one of the major environmental contaminants that disturb ecosystem functioning and stability. In the past few decades, a number of approaches employed in the remediation of polluted soil, water, and aquifers have experienced setbacks. Recently, phytoremediation is gaining more attention due to its numerous benefits. Different mechanisms are used in phytoremediation; however, the integration of microorganisms and plant species to achieve remediation has been alluring. Phytoremediation provides a solution to one of the dreadful problems of pollution in situ, devoid of secondary contamination. Phytoremediation addresses pressing environmental pollution problems, and it also provides other important ecosystem services. In this review, a concise discussion of phytoremediation in synergy with microbes will be provided.