ABSTRACT
Soil is an essential non-renewable resource which performs vital ecological functions and provides crucial ecosystem services. Contamination is one of the main causes of soil degradation worldwide, and leads to a decline in soil quality and functions, negatively affecting biodiversity, food safety, and human health. Eco-friendly gentle remediation options (GROs) are gaining popularity amongst current methods for the treatment of contaminated soils. GROs include phytoremediation techniques based on the use of plants and their associated microorganisms. Moreover, in recent years phytoremediation has seen a shift from a mere clean-up technique towards a sustainable management option (phytomanagement), combining the reduction of risks associated with contaminants with the generation of wider site services.
This chapter focuses on the factors involved in the success of these plant-based techniques for the treatment of soils contaminated with trace elements and/or organic contaminants. Covered aspects include the importance of contaminant bioavailability, adequate plant selection, agronomic practices, and the use of bioaugmentation with plant-associated microorganisms. Finally, a review of recent phytomanagement studies carried out at field scale is presented, summarizing their most highlighted achievements as proof of their potential.
