Plant-Associated Bacterial Degradation of Toxic Organic Compounds in Soil

Martina McGuinness and David Dowling
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Martina McGuinness: Department of Science and Health, Institute of Technology Carlow, Kilkenny Road, Carlow, Ireland
David Dowling: Department of Science and Health, Institute of Technology Carlow, Kilkenny Road, Carlow, Ireland

IJERPH, 2009, vol. 6, issue 8, 1-22

Abstract: A number of toxic synthetic organic compounds can contaminate environmental soil through either local (e.g., industrial) or diffuse (e.g., agricultural) contamination. Increased levels of these toxic organic compounds in the environment have been associated with human health risks including cancer. Plant-associated bacteria, such as endophytic bacteria (non-pathogenic bacteria that occur naturally in plants) and rhizospheric bacteria (bacteria that live on and near the roots of plants), have been shown to contribute to biodegradation of toxic organic compounds in contaminated soil and could have potential for improving phytoremediation. Endophytic and rhizospheric bacterial degradation of toxic organic compounds (either naturally occurring or genetically enhanced) in contaminated soil in the environment could have positive implications for human health worldwide and is the subject of this review.

Keywords: toxic organics; soil; bacteria; bioremediation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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