USING ORNAMENTAL PLANTS TO RESTORE POLLUTED SOILS

In recent centuries, due to urbanization, industrialization and rapid growth of world population, organic and inorganic pollutants resulting from household and industrial production and consumption conditions have led to excessive release of heavy metals into the nature. Excessive accumulation of heavy metals in soil has a significant impact not only on soil fertility and ecosystem functions, but also on animal and human health through the food chain. Nowadays, the use of hyperaccumulatory plants for remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils (phytoremediation) and the identification of such plants has become an important task. Until now, many plants have been used for remediation, but there are very few reports on the application of ornamental plants for remediation of contaminated soils. Research on their applicability for environmental remediation will be an important foundation. This review discusses the possibility of using ornamental plants in phytoremediation.