Transgenic Ornamentals for Phytoremediation of Metals and Metalloids

Abstract Environmental pollution is one of the major hazards to human beings. For practical reasons it is unfeasible to prevent most of the anthropogenic activities accountable for environmental pollution; preferably we need to eradicate the pollutants, specifically via phytoremediation using plants to remove toxic wastes. Since phytoremediation offers a permanent in situ solution to the affected area, environmentalists and governments give immense attention towards the development of bioremediation tools. Ornamentals, especially flower species, are apposite to genetic modification. As the end product is not edible, it does not require food safety analyses, eliminating key complications for commercialization and cutting the cost of production. The present scenario is to transgenetically induce ornamental species that can tolerate, take up, translocate, phytostabilize, phytovolatilize the organic compounds and heavy metal ions. The aim of the present discourse is to provide insight into the mechanism behind the development of novel flowering and/or potted ornamental plants as well as to analyze the factors influencing the efficiency and rate of pollutant removal by plants.