Application of Phytoremediation Principles to Remediate Air Pollutants in the Climate Change Era

Abstract

Air pollution is a growing environmental concern worldwide, which is closely associated with climate variation and change as well as global warming whose effects are deleterious. Phytoremediation describes a technique of using plants and plant-based microbes to detoxify air pollutants and is a promising technique to reverse the current pollution state. This book chapter explores on the various subsets of phytoremediation and their applicability in detoxifying air of pollutants such as particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and inorganic pollutants. Findings based on literature show that the method is widely used and attracting contemporary scientific research due to its viability and eco-friendly nature. Several examples of microbes and their host plants used in this process as well as the pollutants they decontaminate are provided herein. In conclusion, the application of the technique should be enhanced and optimized through further research.