Removal of Hydrocarbons and Other Related Chemicals via the Rhizosphere of Plants.

Recalcitrant organic toxic chemicals have accumulated for decades as a consequence of industrial activity. The use of plants in bioremediation of soils has been proposed as an attractive strategy however, plants lack the extraordinary biodegradative capabilities that microorganisms have, so a new technology, called rhizoremediation, has emerged. In rhizoremediation, the rhizospheric bacteria are responsible for the elimination of the contaminants while the roots are responsible for providing nutrients used by the microorganisms to proliferate. To design a successful rhizoremediation strategy, microbes need to adhere well to the seeds, have to be able to proliferate in the root system, and the bacterial catabolic pathways have to be operative. All of these aspects, together with some techniques to improve biodegradation in the rhizosphere will be presented in this chapter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]