Phytotechnologies – Preventing Exposures, Improving Public Health

Abstract

Phytotechnologies have the potential to reduce the amount and/or toxicity of deleterious chemicals/agents, and thereby, prevent human exposures to hazardous substances. As such, phytotechnologies are a tool for primary prevention within the context of public health. Research advances demonstrate that phytotechnologies can be uniquely tailored for effective exposure prevention for a variety of applications. In addition to exposure prevention, phytotechnologists have advanced the use of plants as sensors to delineate environmental contaminants and potential exposures. The applications presented in this paper are at various stages of development and are presented in a framework to reflect how phytotechnologies can help meet basic public health needs for access to clean water, air, and food resources. As plant-based technologies can often be integrated into communities at minimal cost and with low infrastructure needs, their use in improving environmental quality can be applied broadly to minimize potential contaminant exposure. These natural treatment systems concurrently provide ecosystem services of notable value to communities and society. In the future, integration and coordination of phytotechnology activities with public health research will allow technology development that focuses on prevention of environmental exposures. Such an approach will lead to an important role of phytotechnologies in providing sustainable solutions to environmental exposure challenges that improve public health and potentially reduce the burden of disease.

Bibliometric Analysis of Phytotechnologies for Remediation: Global Scenario of Research and Applications

“…Positive publicity, habitat restoration, low secondary waste, preservation of substrate fertility, and reduced cost are often advantages of phytoremediation over conventional methods. The disadvantages may include a long timescale, limited root depth, plant's vulnerabilities to toxins, variation in success based on local conditions, problematic determination of toxic biodegradation products (Wicker et al 2010), and transfer of contaminants to the food chain (Schwitzguébel 2001;Susarla et al 2002;Green and Hoffnagle 2004;Vagronsveld et al 2009;Ouvrard 2011;Samardjieva 2011;Schwitzguébel et al 2011;Mench et al 2010;Henry et al 2013).…”

Phytostabilization of mine tailings using compost-assisted direct planting: Translating greenhouse results to the field

“…In legacy sites, mine tailings particulates often have associated metal(loid) contaminants because extraction technologies 50 – 100 years ago were not as efficient as those used in modern mining operations. Human health risks arising from dispersion of metal(loid)-containing particulates from legacy sites can result from various routes of exposure including inhalation of particles transported by wind and ingestion of contaminated soil (particularly for children) or food due to the deposition of wind- or water-borne particles onto soil or garden vegetables (Csavina et al, 2011; Henry et al, 2013; Mendez and Maier, 2008; Ramirez-Andreotta et al, 2013). …”

“…The vegetative cap created by assisted phytostabilization should result in the phyto-catalyzed stabilization of inorganic contaminants in the root zone driven by organic matter, plant root exudates and the associated rhizosphere microbial community (Mendez and Maier, 2008; Santibañez et al, 2012). Further, there should be limited above ground biomass accumulation of metal(loid)s to prevent the movement of contaminants into the surrounding ecosystem and food chain through grazing or plant death and decay (Henry et al, 2013; Mendez and Maier, 2008; Pérez-de-Mora et al, 2011). …”

Extracellular Trapping of Soil Contaminants by Root Border Cells: New Insights into Plant Defense

“…Phytotechnologies may be used to prevent contaminant exposure and, in effect, be a tool for primary prevention in environmental public health [76]. Of particular importance will be studies to determine if the same mechanisms which have been implicated in metal trapping within roots also operate in border cell populations [77].…”