Role of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in phytoremediation of soils contaminated: A review

Pollution of the soil environment with toxic materials from fossil burning, mining and smelting of metalliferous ores, disposal of sewage, fertilizers and pesticides, etc. has increased dramatically since the onset of industrial revolution. Application of plants with ability of absorbing heavy metals is a low-cost alternative for eliminating soils from heavy metals. Phytoremediation uses plants to remove pollutants from the environment. Arbuscular mycorrhizal Fungi provide an attractive system to advance plant based environmental clean-up. AM associations are integral functioning parts of plant roots and are widely recognized as enhancing plant growth on severely disturbed sites, including those contaminated with heavy metals. This review highlights the potential of AM fungi for enhancing phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils.