Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Are an Influential Factor in Improving the Phytoremediation of Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Chromium

Abstract

The increasing expansion of mines, factories, and agricultural lands has caused many changes and pollution in soils and water of several parts of the world. In recent years, metal(loid)s are one of the most dangerous environmental pollutants, which directly and indirectly enters the food cycle of humans and animals, resulting in irreparable damage to their health and even causing their death. One of the most important missions of ecologists and environmental scientists is to find suitable solutions to reduce metal(loid)s pollution and prevent their spread and penetration in soil and groundwater. In recent years, phytoremediation was considered a cheap and effective solution to reducing metal(loid)s pollution in soil and water. Additionally, the effect of soil microorganisms on increasing phytoremediation was given special attention; therefore, this study attempted to investigate the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus in the phytoremediation system and in reducing contamination by some metal(loid)s in order to put a straightforward path in front of other researchers.

Keywords

• mycorrhizal fungi
• metal(loid)s pollution
• soil
• plants