Phytovolatilization

Phytovolatilization it refers to the uptake and transpiration of contaminants, primary organic compounds, by plants. The contaminant, present in the water taken up by the plant, passes through the plant or is modified by the plant, and is released to the atmosphere (evaporates or vaporizes). Phytovolatilization has been primarily used for the removal of murcury, the mercuric ion is transformed into less toxic elemental murcury (Henry, 2000). Phytovolatilization has been successful in tritium (3H), a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, it is decayed to stable helium with a half-life of about 12 years reported Dushenkov, (Dushenkov, 2003) . Phytovolatilization is the most controversial of all phytoremediation technologies.
 * __ Phytovolatilization __**

The figure below shows the process of Phytovolatilization. []



__Advantages__ - Cost is cheaper compared to conventional methods. - It is aesthetically pleasing. - In Situ. - Low impact. - Produces less impact.

__Disadvantages__ - Mercury released into the atmosphere is likely to be recycled by precipitation and then deposited back into the ecosystem. - There is more research and field work needed for further knowledge of this remediation strategy. - It is limited to sites with lower contaminant concentrations. -It is restricted to sites with contamination as deep as the roots of the plants being used. - The food chain could be adversely affected by the degradation of chemicals. - The air could be contaminated by the burning of leaves or limbs of plants containing dangerous chemicals.

Rebecca D'Arcy