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HortResearch Private Bag 11 030 Palmerston North New Zealand
(brobinson{at}hortresearch.co.nz)
S.C. McCutcheon and J.L. Schnoor, John Wiley & Sons, 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774. 2003. 987 p. $115.00 hardcover. ISBN 0-471-39435-1.
Phytoremediation is the use of plants to improve degraded environments. This burgeoning new technology exploits the normal metabolic process of plants to degrade, immobilize, or remove contaminants. Plant evapotranspiration returns a significant portion of rainfall back to the atmosphere, thereby lessening ground water contamination. Roots provide a carbon source and an aerobic environment where soil microbes flourish. These, in turn, degrade some organic pollutants. Plants can adsorb and translocate contaminants, whereupon they are metabolized, stored, or volatilized. Phytoremediation is low-cost relative to other remediation technologies because, in essence, it is similar to normal agricultural or silvicultural practices. Nevertheless, successful phytoremediation is based upon a great deal of research and development.
This comprehensive new book details phytoremediation at all levels: from basic molecular and biochemical processes through to practical considerations in field applications. It is, therefore, of interest to all intended audiences including students, researchers, engineers, regulatory authorities, and end-users. The wide scope and high quality of this peer-reviewed book make it an essential reference for all workers in the field of phytoremediation.
The tome is divided into seven sections, facilitating the browser's search for information. Its ease of use is further aided by a "summary of practical implications" at the start of each chapter. The first section contains detailed descriptions of all fields of phytoremediation and their state of development. However, the remainder of the book focuses on areas that are showing the greatest commercial promise. Particular attention is paid to the phytoremediation of xenobiotic chemicals (i.e., those that living systems are not normally exposed to). The role of plants as "green livers" that take up and metabolize xenobiotic contaminants is introduced.
Plant–contaminant interactions are discussed in the second section, with all the salient points covered that affect phytoremediation. These include mechanisms by which contaminants are degraded, plant tolerance, root architecture, and determination of tree water-use. Sections three, four, and five present the degradation mechanisms, volatilization, and hydraulic control of different contaminant classes: aromatic, phenolic, and hydrocarbon (Section 3), explosives (Section 4), and halogenated compounds (Section 5). Section 6 covers practical aspects of implementing this technology, and includes a chapter on using plants to concentrate brine. Some of the latest advances of phytoremediation are outlined in Section 7, with research showing that plants may be used to tackle atmospheric pollutants, methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), cyanide, and perchlorate. Plant and microbe database tools that can be used to assist selections of suitable organisms for bioremediation are presented in Chapter 30, and the book concludes with an evaluation of phytoremediation in the field.
A recurring theme throughout is the necessity of genetic manipulation (GM) to produce effective plants for remediation. Many xenobiotics are degraded through the expression of a specific enzyme, the production of which could be greatly enhanced through GM. Lack of public acceptance of this technology, particularly in Europe, may significantly retard the development of phytoremediation.
In order for phytoremediation to become a widely accepted cleanup standard, developments such as patent protection, regulatory acceptance, and effective commercial implementation are as important as scientific research and development. This book integrates both these aspects and represents an excellent contribution to the ultimate success of phytoremediation technology.
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