Pollutant and metal detoxification through mycorrhizal species for soil restoration: A Review

Recalcitrant xenobiotic chemicals, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, different types of industrial effluents, and heavy metals such as chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), and mercury (Hg), pose substantial environmental as well as hazardous impacts on public health. Require effective removal from contaminated environments. Conventional remediation techniques often fall short in the elimination of these pollutants, necessitating innovative and possibly effective sustainable solutions. Bioremediation involves the use of biological agents, such as microorganisms, to degrade, detoxify, or remove xenobiotics from ecosystems. While bacteria have shown considerable potential, fungi have demonstrated even greater efficacy in breaking down persistent pollutants. AMF play a crucial role in heavy metal bioremediation by employing multiple mechanisms, including metal sequestration within vacuoles, cell wall adsorption, enzymatic detoxification, and chelation by metallothioneins and phytochelatins. Also enhance the metal immobilization through protein-metal complexes, like glomalin-related soil proteins (GRSP), which enhanced soil stabilization and metal bioavailability. Additionally, AMF improves physiological resilience by enhancing gas exchange, protecting plant photosystem (PSII), and stimulating the antioxidant behavior activity to oxidative stress. This study explores the multifaceted role of AMF in heavy metal detoxification and phytoremediation to provide insights into their mechanisms for metal tolerance, sequestration, and detoxification. These findings contribute to the advancement of AMF-assisted phytoremediation strategies, emphasizing the potential for restoring contaminated ecosystems through sustainable, biologically driven interventions.