ABSTRACT
Environmental contamination originating primarily from diverse industrial activities has developed into a serious matter due to substantial increase in heavy metals in all spheres of environment, especially soils. The risk of transferring noxious metals to humans via food chain enhances the value of rehabilitation and safe management of contaminated soils. Conventional methods to remediate heavy metal polluted lands involve enormous capital cost. Therefore, green strategy of phytoremediation for the exclusion of toxic metals from polluted sites is considered as a sustainable, cost-effective, and promising alternative for maintaining soil health. The success of phytoremediation relies on the selection of plant species. Several plants have the potential to grow in metal-enriched soils and endure stress. Nevertheless, exploitation of edible plants as phytoremediation crops have certain shortcomings because metals may come into the food chain and cause detrimental impacts on animals and humans. Thus, non-edible crops such as aromatic plants are apt targets of interests to be employed as potential phytoremediation crops. In this context, Cymbopogon genus is a member of family Poaceae which are herbaceous plants recognized globally for their high essential oil content. They are extensively distributed across the globe and medicinal as well as commercial benefits of several species of Cymbopogon are well documented. These plants also hold great potential in restoration of disturbed environments. With this backdrop, the current chapter provides an overview of worldwide distribution of these species, their uses and explore their potential importance in reclamation and restoration of metal polluted environments.
