Rhizosphere processes and management in plant-assisted bioremediation (phytoremediation) of soils

Plant-assisted bioremediation or phytoremediation holds promise for in situ treatment of polluted soils. Enhancement of phytoremediation processes requires a sound understanding of the complex interactions in the rhizosphere. Evaluation of the current literature suggests that pollutant bioavailability in the rhizosphere of phytoremediation crops is decisive for designing phytoremediation technologies with improved, predictable remedial success. For phytoextraction, emphasis should be put on improved characterisation of the bioavailable metal pools and the kinetics of resupply from less available fractions to support decision making on the applicability of this technology to a given site. Limited pollutant bioavailability may be overcome by the design of plant-microbial consortia that are capable of mobilising metals/metalloids by modification of rhizosphere pH (e.g. by using Alnus sp. as co-cropping component) and ligand exudation, or enhancing bioavailability of organic pollutants by the release of biosurfactants. Apart from limited pollutant bioavailability, the lack of competitiveness of inoculated microbial strains (in particular degraders) in field conditions appears to be another major obstacle. Selecting/engineering of plant-microbial pairs where the competitiveness of the microbial partner is enhanced through a nutritional bias caused by exudates exclusively or primarily available to this partner (as known from the opine concept) may open new horizons for rhizodegradation of organically polluted soils. The complexity and heterogeneity of multiply polluted real world soils will require the design of integrated approaches of rhizosphere management, e.g. by combining co-cropping of phytoextraction and rhizodegradation crops, inoculation of microorganisms and soil management. An improved understanding of the rhizosphere will help to translate the results of simplified bench scale and pot experiments to the full complexity and heterogeneity of field applications.